Time and Space
by Illusory Phantom
Summary: AU: Never had he been so confused or without his foresight. Someone was messing with him, and it was bringing back emotions that he had long since abandoned. With the help of Danny Phantom and some unlikely allies, will the almighty Master of Time be able to fix the destruction caused by one from his past? Will everything be as it should be? -Post PP. Warning: OCs
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Fickle Foes

It had been a while since Vladimir Masters, AKA Vlad Plasmius had traversed the Ghost Zone. He used to search around in hopes of finding something that could further his schemes which, at one time, revolved around the Fenton family. His schemes had, at first, consisted of killing his ex-best friend, Jack Fenton for all the wrongs that the giant oaf had done; the ghost portal accident that caused Vlad to receive his powers, the fact that Jack stole Maddie away from him…Oh it was such a betrayal that Vlad had sworn vengeance. How easy it would have been to just send his servants to end the fat oaf's miserable life. No, he had wanted to do it himself.

He wanted to feel the crimson life giving elixir flow freely down his arm as his hand plunged into the man's chest only to wrap around his beating heart. He wanted to watch as he literally squeezed the life out of Jack Fenton and watch what remained of his life drain from his bright blue eyes. The thought had been so satisfying, but he had thought better of it. No, why kill the man when he could cause the man to suffer the same sort of betrayal? Ah, a fate worse than death. Jack would know how it felt to have everything taken away…yes that had been what Vlad really wanted. He had wanted Jack to truly know what a true betrayal at the hand of one's supposed best friend felt like. It was for this reason he had decided to host their college reunion at his mansion.

He had it all planned out. He would invite the Fentons to his residence along with his other college chums. There, he would make a complete fool out of Jack by overshadowing him. Once everyone saw just how foolish Jack Fenton was, they'd shun him. Well, more so than they used to, and Maddie…his dear sweet Maddie, would renounce that foolish man and leave him. If everything worked out accordingly, then Maddie would run into the arms of the man who was once her and Jack's best friend. Yes, she would run into the arms of billionaire: Vlad Masters.

Of course, nothing was ever meant to go as planned when it came to Vlad. The reunion had been a complete and utter disaster! Years of planning wasted by one pathetic little teenager who just so happened to not only be Jack and Maddie's son, but also the Ghost Boy of Amity Park, Danny Phantom.

_It all started well enough. Vlad had just put on one of his I'm-much-more-successful-than-you'll-ever-hope-to-be suits which consisted of a red tie, a white dress shirt beneath a black Armani suit jacket with matching pants and shoes. His long silvery-white hair with gray streaks in the middle was tied back in a nice ponytail which made his hair seem shorter than what it actually was. All in all, the man looked very sophisticated which, in his opinion, he was, not to mention modest. His entire being radiated with the confidence of a man who thought that, no matter what, he would rule the day._

_Those thoughts were abruptly wiped into oblivion when he went to answer the door of his huge mansion. At his door was the woman of his fantasies, a black haired blue eyed boy and an red-orange haired blue eyed girl. The two looked every bit like their parents, give or take a few things, but it was clear that they were…well, Fentons._

"_V-Man!" yelled Jack Fenton who was locking down the Fenton's means of transportation. _

_Vlad ignored him in favor of Maddie and her children._

"_Maddie m'dear, right this way."_

_Vlad allowed them inside his mansion, holding the door open for Maddie, Daniel and Jasmine, but before Jack could enter Vlad slammed the door in his face. It was the only real way that Vlad could let off some steam. He was fuming at the fact that Jack had TWO children with the love of his life. It felt as though someone had plunged a dagger deep into his chest and began to turn it slowly._

_Ignoring Jack, who was outside of the door calling his name, Vlad showed the Fenton children, and Maddie the décor of his home. The entrance was lined in green and gold as well as the curtains and carpets. Along the walls within glass cases were matching football jerseys, cheerleader outfits and an autographed football. A few pictures hung off to the side with men dressed in their favorite jerseys while wearing hats shaped like cheese._

_Immediately Daniel had taken a liking to it, although he had unintentionally insulted Vlad by calling him a Packers 'fanatic'. _

"_Fanatic is such a negative word," Vlad had said in his defense, only to agree with the boy in the end._

_Jasmine, who just had to ask why he didn't just buy the team, hit a very sore spot, one which had the billionaire almost seeing red. Literally._

"_Because the Packers are owned by the city if Green Bay, and they won't sell them to me!"_

_Vlad turned his attention to Maddie only to realize that she was giving him a disapproving look. He relaxed then and gave her a flirty smile._

"_One of two things my wealth has not as of yet been able to acquire."_

_It was then that Maddie made a hasty retreat to let in that oaf she called a husband._

_The reunion was to start the next night, and Vlad had planned to spend some time with Maddie, but his attempts to do so were always interrupted by her children or Jack. It was quite troublesome, but Vlad supposed that it couldn't be avoided. Eventually Vlad felt that those two unexpected variables could play a part in his schemes. Perhaps he could make Jack feel worse by having his own children belittle him and call him a failure. It would bring Vlad the greatest of pleasures._

_Vlad, who had taken a sort of liking to Daniel, had decided to spend a few minutes talking to the boy, but ended up taking the boy on a tour of his mansion. Vlad had shown him what was down the corridor that was off limits. He had even shown him his not-so-secret lab! He hadn't known why he had done that, but he had and it was too late to do anything about it. As they walked down the forbidden corridor, Vlad opened a door at the far end of the hall which actually led into another hallway. Daniel had commented on how Vlad was just obnoxious with his money, but he hadn't said it in a bad way. In fact, Vlad had chuckled at the comment and agreed._

_Vlad had shown Daniel the other rooms such as a private theater which, at the moment, had Jasmine in it. She, Maddie and Jack had been given a tour earlier while Danny had opted to situate himself in the room that had been hastily put together for his stay._

_Jasmine didn't look up until she heard Vlad introduce the name of the room which was pretty much called the Private Theater. It wasn't meant to be catchy, it was just meant to be informative. _

"_I can have anything I want streamed to this room such as a Packer's game whether it's live or TeVo, or movies that have yet to be released to the public."_

_Jasmine said nothing since she was watching a documentary about psychoanalyzing psychologists or something. Vlad and Daniel then left the room to view the others. Vlad had a Private Gym, but he didn't let Daniel see it. He had stated that it was a complete mess, but that hadn't been the case. His equipment was separated for specific use i.e. use for his ghost half and use for his human half._

_The next room that Vlad had shown the boy was the Space Observatory. Daniel's eyes lit up like a tree on Christmas Eve. He ran over to the giant computer monitor which had turned on the moment the two made their way into the room. Daniel had begun to ask questions a mile a minute which had ultimately caught Vlad off-guard. _

"_You have your own Space Observatory in the mansion?! Do you understand how utterly cool that is? Do you have a telescope? You gotta have one. I mean, you don't have to have one but…"_

"_Daniel my dear boy, of course I have a telescope."_

_Vlad chuckled slightly as he watched Daniel scan the room. He didn't see any sign of a telescope. Vlad had walked over to the computer and typed something. Daniel was obviously confused when Vlad turned away from the computer, but that confusion was replaced with awe when the middle of the floor began opening up. As the two watched, Vlad heard Daniel's breath hitch in his throat as something rose from the floor. It took Daniel a few minutes to realize that it was a _telescope.

"_Oh. My." Daniel had been unable to complete his sentence because Vlad nudged the boy over to the ascending telescope. Daniel made a very feminine squealing noise that he would deny for years to come as he made his way over to the telescope. The boy was a natural when it came to astronomy. Since it had been getting late and the sun had been setting during the start of the tour, Vlad had allowed Daniel to actually look through the telescope. That was when the boy began to spout out so much astronomical talk that Vlad had a hard time keeping up._

_After prying Daniel away from the telescope and promising the boy he could enjoy it for much longer during his next stay (which Vlad was planning on making permanent), the two exited the room. Since it had been getting late, Vlad had decided to postpone the rest of the tour for tomorrow before the reunion. As the two of them made their way back towards the main portion of the mansion, Vlad had attempted to put a feeling of doubt into the boy when it came to Jack's parental skills and mental stability, but it seemed that subtle hints were not easily interpreted by the boy. It was an obvious trait that he no doubt picked up from Jack; that idiot._

_Even so, Vlad was not deterred, and he went back to holding friendly conversations with the boy. Once they were back in the main hallway, they had realized exactly how late it was. Vlad had made his way to the kitchen to find Jack there eating something while Maddie was trying to coax him into getting ready for bed. Jasmine was there as well, but only because she wanted to get some water. Vlad shook his head at Maddie, feeling a sense of pity in the pit of his stomach. The woman was obviously delusional. She had chosen Jack over him, something that would be remedied soon. _

_Feeling that everyone was essentially ready for bed, Vlad once again showed everyone their rooms. He knew that his mansion was huge, and he also knew that Jack was an idiot. On those grounds, he was inclined to make sure that he accompanied them to their resting quarters. Since he had only been expecting Jack and Maddie when he had made his plans, he had their room ready for their arrival, specifically for Maddie. However, he had to give Jasmine and Daniel separate guest rooms on the fly earlier that day because he hadn't been prepared for them. Even so, they had been taken aback with all the features, so it hadn't mattered. Besides, Vlad didn't want to impress anyone but Maddie and well…now Daniel. _

_Vlad bid everyone a goodnight as they made it to their rooms. Once the last goodnights were said, Vlad stalked off once again to make sure that his plans weren't going to be hindered at the reunion. _

_Getting a little antsy, Vlad had ordered three of his servants (three ghostly green glowing Russian Vultures who had been tasked to end Jack's life days before the reunion), to ruffle Jack up that night in order to make him a little more susceptible to being overshadowed (not that the idiot would be strong enough to fight against it anyhow. It was better to be safe than sorry, however), but they failed thanks to Amity's hero intervening. Vlad should have known it then, that Daniel Phantom and Daniel Fenton were one and the same, but he didn't. All he knew was that there was an unexpected guest in his home ruining his plans. Vlad had intercepted the child in his ghostly form when he felt Daniel's foreign spectral energy, and the two of them fought. Of course Vlad, who had more than twenty years of experience under his belt, won that altercation. _

_Right before he was about to finish the child for good, a strange thing happened. Well, not so strange to Vlad considering that he went through the same thing himself. It was more of a…shock. From the boy's torso emerged a bright orb of white light about the size of an average man's fist. The orb began to expand horizontally outward until it was around the boy's body like some sort of glowing hula-hoop. The beam of light then separated in two. One half went up while the other went down, transforming the teenaged Phantom into the teenaged Fenton._

"_Daniel Fenton is actually Daniel Phantom?" Vlad had whispered excitedly to himself before realizing the boy would need medical attention._

_Vlad lifted the boy into his arms and flew off down the hallway, his mind racing. This was extraordinary. There was another like he, and the two of them had already hit it off! He wasn't alone anymore, and if his planned worked then he would never have to be alone again. He would not only have Maddie but also Daniel as his half ghost son! Oh, and there would be Jasmine too. _

_He reached the guest room that he had assigned for Daniel and left out quickly to retrieve the medical kit from his not-so-secret lab. Once he got that he returned to Daniel's room and opened the kit. He cleaned the boy up and let the boy sleep, though he didn't leave the child's side. He waited for the boy to wake up because he knew that he would. If the child was anything like Vlad was when he had acquired his powers then the boy would be currently fighting through a black miasma in his head. He would be prompted to wake up by a nagging sense of urgency in the back of his skull. His sleep wasn't natural, it would tell him, and that would prompt him to remember the confrontation that he had been in. That would force the boy to fight through the darkness and awaken either defensively or in a panic._

_Just as Vlad suspected, the child awoke. Of course, being young like he was and not very skilled in his abilities, he woke up panicked. No doubt thoughts of being dead, well completely dead, were probably racing through his mind like racers at NASCAR. He had been worked up and confused that he hadn't even noticed Vlad, though Vlad didn't make his presence known immediately. When Vlad did make himself known, he and Daniel exchanged a few words, Vlad claiming that Daniel had given him quite the scare and Daniel retaliating with an apology. Vlad then left the room to let the boy sleep plus he wanted to find some way of using this _specific_ variable to his advantage._

* * *

_The next night, at the reunion, Vlad had asked Daniel to retrieve a present for Jack which was supposed to be in the lab. He had explained that it was to show Jack that he had been forgiven for the accident back in their college days, but that was far from the truth. In fact, there was no present at all!_

_Daniel, being the naïve child that he was, eagerly went to retrieve the gift, though he had no clue that it was a trap set specifically for him. One of Vlad's allies, Skulker, had been there to intercept the boy. Skulker caught the child in one of the many inventions that Vlad had created, and was about to do away with him. Luckily for Daniel, and even Skulker, Vlad had come in to check on the boy to make sure that everything was fine. When he found Skulker about to cleave the boy, he nearly lost it._

"_I asked you to apprehend the boy, not skin him to adorn your fireplace!"_

"_What?" questioned Daniel, not sure what was going on or why Vlad had just admitted that he had sent a ghost to catch him._

_Skulker relented which seemed to surprise Daniel so Vlad explained. It was Vlad who had been sending ghosts (at least some of them) to Amity Park, but only to test Jack's ghost hunting abilities. He had never expected his ghosts to be intercepted by the Ghost Boy of Amity Park, nor did he expect the son of his ex-best friend and the love of his life to be the aforementioned Ghost Boy._

_Daniel, who still seemed confused, was even more dumbfounded when Vlad transformed into his alter-ego. It had been the vampire looking ghost from the night before! Daniel's eyes widened when he took in the sight before him. Vlad's skin was sky blue and his eyes were red and pupil-less, and he had fangs like a vampire. His normally white hair was black and turned up on each side of his head like devil horns._

_He wore a high collared white cape which was lined on the inside with red. He wore a white tunic with spandex bottoms underneath. His gloves, shoes, and belt that he wore were black. All in all, he was the opposite of Daniel's ghost form in almost every way possible. Daniel tried to struggle to get himself free, but it was no use. Vlad, however, did state that he wanted Daniel to renounce his father and join him. Yes, Vlad had been that fond of the boy. Daniel didn't even think to do such a thing, and had called Vlad out of his name, stating that he was a 'Seriously Crazed Up Fruit Loop.' Vlad hadn't like that, and decided that he would end Jack's life just to spite the boy more so than to fulfill his need to steal Maddie._

_A few minutes later, the boy managed to break free of his prison somehow, and attack Vlad in an attempt to save his father. After many minutes of fighting and breaking things that, at the time, Vlad hadn't been too worried about, the two finally formed a truce. Neither one would reveal the other's secrets, but only if Vlad stopped trying to hurt Jack. Daniel was definitely smarter than Vlad had thought, and grudgingly, he agreed. His powers were a way to get what he wanted. Without them, well, his life would be much worse. He would play Daniel's game for the time being. He was, after all, a very patient and calculative man. What could possibly go wrong?_

Vlad sighed as he stopped at a floating land mass that had a floating door on it. The door opened once he got close enough, but it didn't seem to startle him. In fact, he floated inside with a depressed gleam in his eyes. The door closed behind him, but he hadn't noticed. He had moved towards the middle of the floor of what seemed to be his old castle, and sat down. This was his domain in the Ghost Zone now. It was the closest thing that he had to a home. Breathing heavily, the half ghost stretched out on the floor and reverted to his human state. He had learned a long time ago that in his human form prolonged exposure to the Ghost Zone could kill him, but what did he care? He was half dead already anyway.

Vlad rolled over on his back and stared at the ceiling. It was the same as his old home, but that didn't seem to make him feel better. His eyes flashed red before they faded back to their dark blue color. He had no-one else to blame his predicament on but himself. After all, it had been his fault that all this occurred. All for revenge on the one person who was actually there for him even when he didn't really want him to be, all this for a woman who had no intention of ever being his, all for the companionship of one boy who would never love him…yes, he had been such a fool and there was no way to fix it.

Vlad's eyes darted around his domain. It was the same as his old home in the human world; lonely and cold. Vlad lowered his head to the floor before raising his hands to stare at them. He slowly clenched and unclenched his hands, not knowing what more he could do. He shook his head as he felt a burning sensation in his eyes. He knew that he wanted to cry; that he needed to cry, but he refused. He had no right to shed a single tear. He had done more than enough to deserve this fate. Heck, he was pretty sure that he deserved much worse.

Vlad wrapped his arms around his stomach, feeling the guilt eat away at him. This feeling was brought on by the one person that he thought he hated the most; Jack Fenton.

_While out in space he had reflected on everything in his life's past and present. Back in their college days, Jack had been more than just his best friend. The man had been the brother that Vlad had always wanted. Jack was the happy-go-lucky buffoon that was the life of every party even if that wasn't always a good thing. He could make anyone laugh, and he was even lovable. Of course, the man had many flaws such as his inability to notice the sensitiveness of a situation which resulted in him accidentally saying the wrong thing at the wrong time quite frequently. Of course, no man was perfect. _

_Still Vlad had always followed Jack around contrary to what others had thought. Vlad was smarter than Jack and was always at the top of his classes, something that he and Maddie had in common, not to mention he was much more serious, so much so that it could be said that he was a bit pessimistic, but Jack…Jack was just…he was just fun to be around. He, for lack of better words, evened Vlad out. Vlad became a little looser around Jack and would occasionally join Jack at some of the frat parties that were held, but he didn't let himself go. The only wild thing he could actually recall himself doing was forming a band with Jack called the Skunk Punks. That hadn't exactly gone over well, but it hadn't mattered because it was _fun.

Vlad positioned himself on the asteroid and chuckled humorlessly before his thoughts drifted to Maddie.

_Both he and Jack had fawned over Maddie, but Vlad had been a shy idiot who couldn't get up the nerves to ask her out while Jack's clueless nature and outgoing personality drew her in like a bee to nectar. Vlad should have seen it clearly before they even started working on that stupid prototype ghost portal, the object that had brought the three of them together in the same room and then ripped them apart. Maddie loved Jack._

_After months of attempting to ask Maddie on a date only to chicken out, Vlad had finally had enough. He was going to ask Maddie out even if it killed him! He had his long black mullet combed out until it reached just past his shoulders. His face was clean shaven and he smelled of cologne. His bright blue eyes radiated confidence while his teeth glistened brightly when he smiled at his reflection. He had exchanged his usual green and gold shirt for a white dress shirt and black slacks with all black tennis shoes. It was the best that he could do._

_After checking himself over for at least twenty minutes, he decided that he was finally ready, or at least as ready as he could ever be. He had walked to the female's dorm in hopes of talking to her, but he had chickened out…again. The female's dorm was covered in, well, jocks. Vlad's confidence had instantly deflated, especially when a specific individual caught his eye. It was one of the biggest Neanderthals that attended Wisconsin University. Vlad didn't want a confrontation; something he knew would happened if he continued onward to Maddie's dorm, therefore he turned tail and ran. _

_Jack had tried to be supportive and told him to keep trying as he brushed back his short black mullet, but Vlad hadn't listened. Vlad didn't need Jack's support or his pity. What he needed was focus! Jack, not at all surprised by his best friend's attitude, returned to what he had been doing instead. Jack was getting ready to go out despite having to check the calculations for the portal they were working on._

_He pulled his lab coat on over a bright orange jumpsuit that he seemed to wear for every occasion, thinking it made him look cool. He then put on some black boots. He debated over which gloves he should wear despite the things looking identical. Once those were on, he called out to Vlad, letting him know not to wait up. Vlad had just grunted before he went over to his bed to sleep off his feelings of cowardice._

_The next day, during the testing of their portal, as Vlad put on his lab coat over his Packer's outfit, he finally found the courage within himself to ask her out. He had argued with himself during his sleep that the worse she could do was say no. If that were to happen then sure he would be crushed, but he would have this whole ordeal over and done with. He had to do it unless he wanted to drive himself completely insane. Yes, he had woke up with that same mindset, put on his lucky Packers' colors and strolled to the lab._

"_Maddie, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time now and—"_

"_One second, Vlad. Jack? Did you remember to fill the filtrater with ecto-purifier?"_

"_On it baby!"_

_Vlad had frowned as he watched Maddie's long, curly orange-red hair bounce when she turned her back to him. Her white lab coat seemed almost glowing with her radiance. Vlad shook his head, rolled his eyes and turned away. How did he manage to get shot down before he even asked his question? It was a mood dampener for sure, but he wasn't going to give up. There would be another chance later, or so he thought. _

_No-one noticed that Jack hadn't grabbed the ecto-purifier, but instead he had grabbed an open can of diet cola. No-one noticed that he had poured the diet cola into the filtrater either. Jack threw the can over his shoulder and, out of some sort of dumb luck, landed the empty can inside of the trash can…_

Vlad looked around his empty lair before he laid back down. He probably should, as Daniel would put it, 'Go Ghost' soon, but what was the point? If Vlad died, wouldn't he be free of the body-numbing guilt? Vlad closed his eyes and let his mind wander once more.

"_I'm telling you Jack, it won't work," stated Vlad, his annoyance with being shot down obviously shining through._

_Jack and Maddie stood side by side, smiling confidently at their friend. Vlad had to refrain from frowning. Jack's eyes had taken on a gleam that Vlad knew all too well. It was that confident gleam that Jack had whenever he had a good idea or whenever he felt that something was going to go his way._

"_Bogus V-Man, it totally will. This portal is guaranteed to bust open a portal into the ghost dimension."_

_Jack walked over towards the table which held the remote to activate the prototype portal. Vlad had turned his attention back to the small little 'Ghost Gate' to get a better look at it. Vlad hadn't really been too into ghosts, but Jack's enthusiasm had sucked him into helping with this experiment. Vlad was skeptical and completely biased when it came to the supernatural, but he held his tongue. He knew that Jack would get upset with the lack of faith, not to mention Maddie seemed to believe in the supernatural as well. It was another reason why Vlad helped._

"_Jack, these calculations aren't right," Maddie said as she skimmed over what was no doubt some sort of elaborate mathematical equation._

_Vlad just rolled his eyes as he examined the portal. No doubt Jack had forgotten to go over his calculations after he came back from whatever party he had been at the night before. Jack, of course, hadn't heard a word that was said. He held the remote in both his fingers with a huge smile that could light the room._

"_BANZAI!" screamed Jack as he excitedly pressed the button that would turn on the prototype portal._

_Vlad, who still had his face close to the portal was startled at the sudden glow of light and dark green swirls of ectoplasm that had sprung to life between the metal that was keeping it in place. Before Vlad had the time to move back, however, those same swirls of green sprang directly into his face._

"_**BOGUUUUUS**__!" screamed Vlad as pure agony attacked his face and wracked his entire body._

_The proto-portal had been a complete bust, and he had had his face right in front of it! Highly concentrated ectoplasm fused with electricity and diet cola coursed through him for what seemed like an eternity. When the pain was somewhat bearable, Vlad removed his hands which had been cradling his face the moment he was blasted, to reveal large glowing red puss filled pimples. Maddie and Jack both gasped; their shock and fear keeping them in their places._

_Vlad felt hurt at their reactions. Certainly he didn't look that bad? Vlad ran from the room as fast as he could. He kept his hands over his face as he made his way back to the dorm room that he and Jack shared. Once inside the safety of the room, he removed his hands from his face and walked towards the bathroom where he knew the mirror would be. When he looked in the mirror, he felt his stomach flip at the sight. Luckily, he was in the bathroom so all he had to do was move over a few inches to reach the toilet where he promptly hurled his stomach's content from breakfast and maybe even the dinner from the night before._

_Fifteen minutes later, Jack had entered their room, looking for his friend. He and Maddie had finally gotten around to moving and their first concern was Vlad, though Vlad hadn't known that. All he knew was that he hated Jack. It had been his fault. Jack hadn't added up the correct calculations! The bumbling idiot gave no other warning than a BANZAI! Vlad had little to no time to react before his face was ruined because of Jack's idiocy!_

_Black hair had been inverted to a white, almost silvery hue, though the gray strands that ran up the middle of his head remained the same. His eyes were actually a tad bit lighter. His face was covered in giant red pimples that had a slight glow to them. For lack of better words, Vlad had become the absolute definition of the word 'freak'!_

"_V-man?" asked Jack as he looked around the dorm._

_Vlad felt his rage build at the nickname that Jack had called him. He had no right…not after this. This was just too much. This was much more than even the backwash incident and that had definitely almost ruined their friendship._

_Vlad's eyes flashed a vibrant red which he had noticed because of the slight reflection of them in the porcelain bath tub that he had been leaning against for better access to the toilet. He startled himself, and his eyes returned to normal. Vlad looked down at his hands only to notice that his eyes hadn't been the only thing that had been glowing. His body had also been glowing momentarily._

"_Vladdie?" Jack asked alerting Vlad to how much closer he was._

_Vlad turned around just in time to see Jack reach the doorway. Vlad pointed a shaking finger in Jack's direction, his eyes narrowed into slits and his lips tight._

"_You!" he hissed out angrily, clearly startling Jack out of his wits._

"_Y-yeah, it's me, V-man," said Jack in a calm voice as though he was trying to calm down a child who was about to have a tantrum._

_Vlad didn't like that, so he stood to his full height. He was a few inches shorter than Jack, but Vlad was much more intimidating than the chubby oaf._

"_You…this is…_you_ did _this_ to me!"_

_Jack looked slightly hurt at the accusation, but there was some guilt visible in his eyes._

"_It was an accident, Vladdie. You know that I would never—"_

"_Save it, you idiot! Look at me! Look at what you've done! Now I'll never be able to…I'll never…"_

"_Vlad? Jack?" came Maddie's sweet voice from their doorway. Jack must have left the door open, either that or he hadn't locked it._

_Vlad gasped before he placed his hands over his face. He couldn't let the love of his life see him in such a state. No, something so beautiful shouldn't be in the presence of something so beastly despite what Disney or anyone else claimed. Jack turned to face Maddie, but when he turned back to face Vlad he was shocked. Vlad was no longer leaning against the bath tub._

_Vlad, much to his relief and dismay, had sunk through the floor only to land in the laundry room. He grunted before he climbed out of the laundry basket he had landed in, shuddering when he realized that he had not landed in anything clean. Disgusted with that little fact he ran out of the room, his hands covering his face. He couldn't let _anyone_ see him like this so Vlad did what he was best at and ran._

Vlad hadn't admitted himself into a hospital, and why would he? He knew how the world worked. People would never understand his situation. They'd dissect him and study whatever remained of him, and that was not something he wanted. Vlad had been on his own, learning how to manipulate his powers, treat himself for the rare times that he had been sick or injured, and many other stressful tasks.

"It took twenty years to fully master my unique abilities, including the transformation," mumbled Vlad as he recalled the years he had isolated himself from the world.

Once he had gotten used to using his basic powers such as flight, intangibility, and invisibility, Vlad had robbed people who he thought didn't need or deserve their wealth. He stole from those he felt couldn't understand true hardship and made a mockery of those who did. In this way, Vlad managed to steal his first million. Eventually the millions added up to billions making Vlad one of the wealthiest men in the world. Once he was as financially set as he could be, he opened his own small businesses. A few of them failed which was why he waited until there was no way he could put a dent in his fortune, so he opened up more. This time around he put his ghost powers to, in his opinion, good use, by sabotaging other companies that would have no doubt eaten the rest of his companies, regurgitated it, beat it, buried it, let it age, revived it only to shoot it dead. It had put his companies in a very good light. He'd never have to want for anything materialistic in his life thanks to that.

Out of all those illegitimate businesses he had one legit business, and he made sure to nurture it into something to be proud of, and that was Dalv Co.

Vlad smiled at the thought before realizing that even that business was probably gone because of his foolishness. This angered Vlad. Dalv Co. was the only honest business he ran, but it didn't matter. Not after everything he had done. Then again, Dalv was much too important to get rid of. Someone probably bought it out, changed the name and was running it into the ground.

The thought angered Vlad to the point that heexited his domain. Of course, when he did this he began to plummet from the floating land mass. He suppressed his startled scream, and instantly turned into Plasmius. He immediately stopped his descent, took a deep calming breath and began to fly around aimlessly once again.

He couldn't exactly go back and start causing trouble. There were tons of people out for his blood, human and ghost. Vlad sighed, feeling utterly defeated. He recalled everything he had lost thanks to the impulsive decision to reveal his identity to the world. What had he even been thinking putting all of his eggs into one basket like that?

_Due to Daniel's incessant pranks, Vlad decided to make the poor boy's life even more miserable by moving to Amity Park, rigging the Mayoral election and ultimately becoming the small town's mayor. Daniel and his little friends knew that Vlad was only doing it to be difficult, but they had no idea just how difficult he planned on being._

_After a failed excursion involving Daniel, his two sidekicks Sam Manson and Tucker Foley, the mystical Infa-Map and an explosion in space, things began to play out in Vlad's favor, or so he thought._

_Vlad had been incredibly annoyed that his latest scheme to coax Daniel by his side had failed that he wanted to make the boy's life, at least the half dead part of his life, an absolute outcast. He wanted to make the boy feel useless; like no-one wanted or needed him as Danny Phantom. Vlad had the perfect plan in mind._

_Vlad had personally sought out the best, bravest, and brightest group of teenagers and tested them against ghosts. Three teenagers, one male calling himself Thrash another male calling himself Download and a female calling herself Vid, ranked higher than the rest since they were able to 'fight' with Skulker, and capture him in a Plasmius Thermos in record time. A few days later, they had their first 'real' test run; calling themselves Masters' Blasters. It had been a complete success much to the dismay of one half ghost teenager who had managed to get caught in his underwear on camera._

_Again and again Masters' Blasters took care of the town's ghost problem while simultaneously causing Daniel to lose credibility. Daniel lost so much credibility, in fact, that he had felt there was no need for him to have ghost powers. His train of thought followed by the Guys In White arresting his parents caused the young man to go the distance and remove his powers for what he had thought was for good._

_A few days later news of an asteroid which was on a collision course with the Earth was announced on the news. Apparently the asteroid was so huge that it would effectively wipe out the entire planet. Vlad decided to see how it would play out, though he was definitely formulating a plot._

_People across the world combined their efforts in hopes of shooting down the asteroid, but nothing was working. The Fentons had an idea, but not the funds to enact their own plan. Vlad was more than happy to fund them, much to Daniel's chagrin. With the funds to construct what was needed, the elder Fentons, Jack and Maddie, set off to work. They had made a space vehicle called the Fenton Rocket which housed specially designed weapons that would penetrate the asteroid and blow it apart from the inside._

_Jack would be going up in the rocket along with Vlad's team of ghost hunters, Masters' Blasters._

_As final preparations were being made, Vlad helped Jack set the coordinates. Little did Jack know that Vlad was setting him up. No-one knew and no-one suspected because, well, why would Vlad do that? Sure he despised Jack, but the world was more important than revenge, right?_

_Vlad watched as the group of four boarded the Fenton Rocket and launched themselves towards the asteroid. It was broadcast-ed on every news channel, so everyone was watching with baited breath._

_Once the team of four was in the area and had their target locked, Jack fired. The asteroid was completely decimated, and the day was saved! Cheers and congratulations were given and there was even talk of celebration. Sadly, that had all been cut short by what appeared to be…THE ASTEROID!_

_There were shouts of anger, fear, gasps and various chants of disbelief. Vlad hid that sly smile he had been wearing as he watched the asteroid that was meant to be destroyed continue its descent to Earth. On the rocket, there was even more yelling. Clearly Jack was being blamed. He defended himself by saying that Vlad had programmed the coordinates, but it seemed that no-one had heard that part except for Vlad and Daniel._

* * *

_Later that day, Vlad had decided to put his own plans into motion. Yes, the plan was, for the first and last time, an honest to goodness world domination scheme, something that Vlad stayed away from on the account that it was so clichéd, but it would be the icing on his cake of victory. _

_Vlad held a meeting in front of town hall to speak about the terrible situation that they were facing. Daniel, his family, and his friends along with a majority of residents in Amity Park came to the meeting. Vlad had spotted Daniel, and the child did not look amused. Of course he didn't because there was nothing he could do. He had given up his ghost powers, so he was forced to sit on the sidelines while things continued to unravel in front of his fourteen year old eyes._

"_He said that he had news that will impact the entire world," stated Daniel in response to a question that was asked to him by his little goth friend, Sam._

_His friends didn't respond since Vlad had started speaking._

"_Though every attempt at destroying the Disasteroid has failed, I come to you offering an alternative solution; one that I think you will find most surprising!"_

Vlad grimaced at the memory.

_He had jumped over the podium that was onstage, flew into the air until he just hovered above the crowd then turned into his ghost half. There was a collective gasp as Vlad then explained how he had used his human half to walk among everyone, and then revealed to the world that he was indeed Vlad Masters, but he was known among the ghosts as Vlad Plasmius. Vlad then declared that he had a proposition._

"_The nations of the world must unanimously agree to pay me five hundred billion dollars and make me absolute ruler. In return I shall use my ghostly powers—"_

"_To destroy the Disasteroid?" interrupted some idiot in the audience._

_Vlad had merely grinned since he was, or at least was about to be, on top of the world._

"_No, to turn it intangible," he corrected smugly._

_It was an obvious choice to make considering what was at stake. The Nations of the World agreed and signed a contract to make Vlad's demand legitimate. There was no going back now. It was all set. Vlad, still in his ghost form, signed the documents and then he, along with Jack Fenton, went into space inside of the Fenton Rocket._

_Jack had questioned why Vlad was holding the world hostage after everything good that had gone on in his life. Vlad did a double take. Is that what Jack truly thought? That Vlad had had some sort of good fortune in his life? The fool knew nothing, and Vlad made sure Jack knew it._

"_You infect me with ghost DNA and steal the love of my life and call it good fortune?" Vlad asked, an array of emotions evident in his voice, but most of it anger._

"_I infected you? You mean-?"_

"_Yes fool! It was your bumbling that made me what I am today!"_

_As the two approached the Disasteroid, Vlad rose from his chair and began to walk towards the door to exit the rocket._

"_I never meant to hurt you, Vladdie. I'm your friend. I even voted for you!"_

_Vlad looked back towards Jack. It was hilarious that Jack would bring that up considering that EVERYONE voted for Vlad. He had made sure of it. Vlad scoffed, shook his head slightly and then looked Jack directly in his eyes._

"_I'll remember that when I steal Maddie from you and make her my queen."_

_With those parting words and a maniacal laugh, Vlad exited the ship leaving a very upset Jack Fenton in the rocket's cockpit._

_Once Vlad had gotten close enough to the asteroid, and placed his hands on it in the hopes that he could turn it intangible, he found himself in for a rude awakening. Vlad screamed as the asteroid sent charge after charge of painful energy through his being._

_Looking towards a device on his wrist, he angrily asked it what was going on. A little holographic program depicting Maddie had sprung from the device._

"_Asteroid composed entirely of unique anti-ghost element ectoranium."_

_Vlad tuned out the hologram's repeated chant of ectoranium before looking at the stupidly large hunk of rock._

"_Ectoranium? Then I can never touch it, no ghost can."_

_Vlad looked sadly and desperately back towards the Earth._

"_And even if it weren't I could never go back. I've revealed my true self. I'd be forever hunted…"_

Vlad lowered his head recalling the one moment he felt his world completely stop turning. Jack had left him in space to suffer. Out of everything that Jack had done…that was surprisingly the most painful. Perhaps it was because, unlike the ghost portal accident, Jack abandoning him had been intentional. He had come to realize that now…

_Vlad looked towards the rocket, or more specifically Jack who was looking very unimpressed._

"_Jack, you have to help me," started Vlad, his shaken up expression slowly turning into a much calmer and confident one. "You wouldn't turn your back on an old friend, would you?"_

_Jack looked at Vlad through calm eyes. There was hidden anger behind them, but most of all hurt and betrayal._

"_An old friend? No. You?" Jack's expression instantly turned sour. "Yes."_

_Vlad had heard Jack hit the Fire Jets button inside the ship that had sent it hurtling back towards the Earth. Jack's words and actions had hurt much worse than any wound inflicted on him. They even hurt more than when he first got his powers. _

"I wish I could just…I don't know, go back in time and change everything."

That was when Vlad stilled, suddenly he recalled reading about a spirit called Clockwork. This spirit was supposed to be able to control time. Perhaps if Vlad appealed to the spirit's wants or needs, the spirit would do him a favor and take back the incident with the Disasteroid. No, that wouldn't…what if he could convince the spirit to change everything? He…he actually wanted not just his life, but his friends back.

Of course, everything he read or heard about Clockwork was a myth, but he was out of options. What else did he really have to lose by looking for Clockwork? The answer was simply nothing. He couldn't go back to his home without being hunted down. He couldn't try to talk to Maddie or Jack; they'd never think that he was sincere, and then there was Daniel. He couldn't face the triumphant boy. Vlad knew that it had been Daniel who had saved the world when he could not. The shame, guilt, and embarrassment that Vlad felt were enough to keep him away from the Fenton Family. He was truly alone.

Vlad began to fly off towards an unknown destination with no schemes in mind. He had zoned out for what felt like a few minutes and was rudely awakened when his head hit a door. He grunted in pain before he held out his hand, ready to blast the offending object, but when he tried his attack just fizzled out.

"What in blazes?" snapped Vlad before he flew around the door.

Like a lot of doors in the Ghost Zone, this one floated on its own with no land mass holding it in place. If you flew around the door, it was as though it was just a regular door that you could view from within a hardware store.

Vlad looked for a door knob and noticed that there wasn't one. Curiosity got the better of him as he looked the door over and over in an attempt to find some sort of clue to open it. He placed his ear against the door to see if he could hear something…and he did. He could hear someone speaking, and he recognized the voice instantly.

"An Observant?" asked Vlad dumbly before he backed away from the door.

"How in the world did I get into the Observants' territory again?"

Vlad wasn't truly certain if this was the Observants domain or not, but he decided that it was best to treat it as such. The voice he had heard beyond the door had been the same voice who had been sentencing Vortex, the Weather Ghost. Vlad could easily take the Observant race, but he didn't feel like a confrontation, not now. Then again, hadn't he read something about Clockwork _and _the Observants? Didn't they work together? If that was the case then…would it really be wise to seek out the Spirit? Perhaps he wasn't so powerful if he worked for such spineless creatures. Then again, Clockwork was a myth, and there were many different variations of him in both the ghostly realm and the human realm.

"The fabled Father Time and in some circles Death himself…" mumbled Vlad as his mind began to race at a sudden possibility.

This door, unlike all the other doors he had come across, seemed to move which meant it never stayed in the same place. That led Vlad to believe that perhaps only a few people would know where it would be at all times and would know how to find it. If someone were to stumble on it, there was no doorknob to gain entry. Perhaps…this was Clockwork's lair? It would make sense that all these precautions were put into play.

Then again, there were so many unreliable variables to acknowledge that it wasn't right to just jump to that one conclusion. Vlad wracked his mind, recalling several stories about a Timeless Realm. That was the place where the Observants resided. There was mention of a Clock Tower where Clockwork's domain was. Perhaps, like a lot of ghosts and spirits, Clockwork's Tower was behind a door which opened up inside a clock tower?

Vlad was about to try to find another way in when he saw the door begin to open. He instantly turned invisible and watched as not one, but two Observants emerged from the door. Both of their eyes turned up into dissatisfied frowns.

"He will never change," mumbled the first one.

"Then he will remain here until he does," stated the other curtly.

"Yes, indeed," responded the first one which seemed to end the conversation.

The two Observants had been so wrapped up with their topic that they hadn't realized that the door had remained open after they exited, nor did they notice as it remained slightly ajar thanks to a shoe belonging to Vlad being used to keep it from shutting.

"Idiots," muttered Vlad as he made his way inside what appeared to be some sort of tower or keep.

Vlad felt himself smile. This had to be the place. Vlad looked around taking in each and every sight. The walls were dark and dotted with white specks. Attached to the walls were torches at each interval which cast eerie shadows around the entire place. The floors seemed to be cobblestone, something that interested Vlad quite a lot, but not as much as the being that was no doubt inside.

Vlad's excitement grew uncontrollable when he reached an archway that led off into three separate rooms. Vlad tried to use his own variation of a 'Ghost Sense' to see if he could detect which way to go. Of course, it would be the middle. It was always the middle.

Vlad stepped one foot forward before instantly leaping back when the floor beneath him turned intangible at his touch. Vlad blinked, unsure what to make of such a thing. Usually everything in the Ghost Zone was solid when he was in his ghost form. Vlad harrumphed in annoyance before he decided to try to fly over the floor. As he attempted to hover in the air, Vlad felt what he sure was an abnormal amount of gravity keeping him pinned to the floor. Annoyed and confused with this concept since gravity never gave him grief before, at least not after he learned to control his powers; he switched into his human half. The moment he did he tried to take to another step forward. The floor seemed a tad bit unsure of what to do which Vlad found very peculiar. The floor flashed as it went from tangible to intangible. Vlad, curious, pressed down against the floor and felt he was beginning to slip through when the floor _moved_ lower so that Vlad's foot rested on it.

Vlad wasn't sure what to do at this point. The floor clearly had no idea of how to handle his human half, or perhaps no idea of how to handle humans in general. A strange smirk etched its way onto Vlad's features before he took a literal leap of faith. The floor flashed as though it was panicked, the flash going through a rainbow of colors before it settled back into a dark color with white dots. Vlad, still smirking, began to walk further out until he could see a door ahead.

"Usually in the Ghost Zone, humans are the ghosts. Why on Earth would the floor allow my human half passage, yet keep my ghost half from progressing?"

Vlad hadn't expected an answer, and he didn't receive one. It was just something he found himself wanting to know more about, but right now he was much more curious about the task at hand. Once he reached the other end of the corridor, the floor seemed to actually turn invisible like it was hiding. Vlad shook his head and turned back to the door that was at the end of this particular corridor. He reached for the knob in an attempt to pull it, but his hand phased right through it. With a sigh, Vlad morphed and tried to open the door again. This time he received an electric shock for his troubles.

Vlad yanked his hand away, clearly annoyed with being electrocuted by inanimate objects especially through his gloves. First it's a metal chair leg, a car door, a floating rock in space, and now a ghostly doorknob.

"Fine," sneered Vlad as his right arm began to crackle with electricity. "Two can play at this game."

Vlad, just out of spite, wrapped his hand around the doorknob and sent volt after volt of electricity through the thing until he actually heard an audible 'click'. Completely baffled, Vlad turned the knob and pushed, still running his electricity through it for good measure. Once the door was completely open, Vlad immediately stiffened. The entire room looked exactly like outer space only on a smaller scale. He could spot the Milky Way and other galaxies that he hadn't really learned about and he was sure would never be discovered by anyone. He seemed, surprised, but then he snapped out of his trance.

Vlad let go of the doorknob, and the door immediately slammed shut. Vlad blinked in surprise before he turned his attention back towards the room. There was nothing of interest in this particular room, but he had noticed that there was another corridor. Vlad followed it carefully, not sure what it was that he should expect. Certainly someone knew he was here. How could they not after all the commotion that he had caused? Then again, if this was Clockwork's realm, would that mean he was expected? Wouldn't the Time Master be able to see that his realm was being invaded?

Vlad shook his head. Perhaps this wasn't Father Time's realm. Perhaps he stumbled upon nothing. It would have been pure luck to have thought about Clockwork, then find his lair not even an hour later, and luck was something that Vlad didn't have. Vlad sighed, debating on whether or not to just turn around now.

Vlad turned back to the door, slightly alarmed when he didn't _see_ a door. He stood there, his mouth slightly ajar at the sight. There had to be a door there! Vlad blinked before he felt a feeling of dread. He turned back, not sure what more he could do than to just keep going. The door disappearing made Vlad wonder if he was indeed being expected, then again this was the Ghost Zone. Doors were liable to disappear, at least Vlad had to keep telling himself that in order to keep from hyperventilating.

Once Vlad made it to the end of this particular corridor he saw that the scenery was completely different than the astronomical décor from the previous corridor. This room was completely silver with glowing balls of green ectoplasm hanging from the ceiling. Vlad shuddered as he watched something blue momentarily appear from the wall directly in front of him and then disperse into the room, making the whole thing glow and throb before it settled down to its normal color. Vlad wasn't sure what was going on, but he wasn't curious enough to find out. He turned around only to realize that he wasn't going to be leaving back the way he had come.

"Oh Snicker Doodles," Vlad cursed as he closed his fists and swung them angrily to his sides. "How am I supposed to get out of here now?"

"You're not," replied a disembodied voice that caused Vlad to freeze in place.

"I…who?"

The voice chuckled at Vlad's attempt at speech which only angered the older Halfa.

"Are you Clockwork?"

The chuckling ceased immediately which made Vlad tense. His guard, which hadn't been completely up, rose in anticipation of some sort of attack. After a few moments the voice snorted before he answered Vlad's question.

"No, I am afraid I am not Clockwork."

Vlad instantly deflated. He should have known that it was too good to be true. The Halfa turned his back once more to face the vacant wall that used to have a door alongside it.

"But I know him quite well."

Vlad turned back around so that he could try to find where the voice was coming from so he could confront the owner face to face.

"Really," said Vlad disbelieving, scanning the room unsuccessfully.

"Indubitably," was the flippant reply that Vlad had been given.

Vlad wasn't sure if he believed the other or not, so he just scoffed.

"Oh I'm sure you do, and I know Pariah Dark. Would you care to exchange stories?"

The disembodied voice said nothing which only caused Vlad to smirk.

"That is what I thought. I don't know what it is that you are trying to pull, but I would very much like to leave this dreadful place so if you wouldn't mind putting the door back…"

"I am afraid that I can do no such thing. This 'dreadful place' as you so elegantly put it, is my prison. The only way either of us is leaving would be for the Observants to return."

"And how long will it be before they do so?"

"Considering those stupid eyeballs left not too long ago, I would say in a millennium or so."

Vlad's entire face filled with horror; a millennium or so? How could this creature be so calm about that? Well sure ghosts and spirits didn't exactly age like humans so it was quite understandable that a millennium was like a few years to them, but Vlad was…well he was half human! There was no way he could survive in a place like this for so long, not that it mattered.

No, it did matter to Vlad. He would dedicate himself to finding Clockwork, or something! He would submerge himself into the task since it was the only thing he had to look forward to. He loved a challenge after all, and there would be nothing as challenging as finding the fabled Father Time.

"I can't spend the rest of my existence here!" shouted Vlad, his usual calm demeanor and patience shattered by his horrid space escapade.

"Well, there is always the alternative, but—"

"What is this alternative?"

The disembodied voice remained silent, as though he was debating on whether or not to give Vlad the remaining time of day. After several minutes, Vlad began to seethe where he stood. He didn't have the patience for this sort of thing anymore.

"Well?" he spat angrily.

"You could always free me, and I could get us both out of here. Of course, you don't seem to be the trusting sort."

"Free you? The last prisoner of the Observants that I freed took it upon himself to betray me, insolent weather ghost."

"Weather ghost?" repeated the voice, a little humor seeping into it.

Vlad turned his eyes to where he thought the voice may be coming from.

"Yes, Vortex, but I doubt you've heard—"

The voice laughed. It was hearty unlike his previous displays of humor.

"So they actually managed to capture him? It was only a matter of time before he finally slipped up. And you say that you freed him from the Observants? Would you care to elaborate?"

"No I would **NOT** care to elaborate. I care to leave this place."

The disembodied voice calmed itself down and sighed.

"Understandable, though it is as I said. There are two ways out; the Observants or my freedom. It's pretty much your choice. I can wait, but from your tone, I can tell that you cannot."

Vlad bared his fangs in frustration.

"I won't make the same mistake twice! I will not free you only to be betrayed in the end. How do I know you will stay true to your word?"

The spirit remained silent for several long minutes. Vlad had become increasingly nervous, but he tried to hide it behind his normally confident stance; back straight, hands placed elegantly behind his back, and a face so straight that if you didn't know how to read this man, you would have no idea how truly nervous he currently was.

"I see," stated the voice which wasn't exactly the answer Vlad had been expecting to receive.

"You see? What do you mean?"

"You've been betrayed on more than one account."

Vlad's calm demeanor abruptly shifted to a startled one and then anger.

"You know _nothing!_"

"I know more than you'd so obviously believe. I know the feeling of betrayal all too well. I know what it's like to have one thing that you thought would stand by you no matter what then suddenly have that thing move slightly to the left to let you fall. I know what it's like. It's all I could think about for the first thousand years of my stay in this horrid place. The jeers and the taunts from those ultimately weaker than you could only distract you from what really hurt for so long; the betrayal at the hands of your own _brother; _your_ twin_."

Vlad tried not to show the surprise and fear on his face. The disembodied voice had become sad and then it had turned into pure hate induced anger towards the end. Vlad had actually taken a step back. When the voice next spoke, it wasn't as spite filled. In fact, it was almost distant and uncaring.

"I was sent here to suffer while he's so obviously made a name for himself. Yes, I know what true betrayal is like, and I know that you've tasted it more than once."

Vlad lowered his head. Was it really that obvious? Any other time he doubted it would have been, but now was he really so open that he could be read like a newspaper? He tried to hide his shame, but with the submissive way he was standing it was clear that he didn't care how he looked. He was…broken.

"I know my word means nothing to you but if you release me I promise I will help you. I will not betray someone so like myself."

"H-how do I release you when I can't even see where you are being held?"

"Those energy orbs that line the ceiling must be destroyed. They are the reason I am not visible to you. They disrupt the solidity of my form in order to make it, what would be the correct term…miasmic? Yes, I believe that's the term. In this miasmic state the orbs can easily keep me from forming not to mention it can suck up whatever power I attempt to save."

"The blue mist?" asked Vlad, recalling what he had seen earlier.

"Yes, the _blue mist_."

"And all I have to do is destroy the orbs of ecto-plasmic energy?"

"Mhm."

Vlad looked skeptical. If he was so easy to read to this creature, then there was a chance that he was being used. Vlad didn't know what to think of that fact. He had used countless others in the past, and he didn't like the feeling of being in their shoes. Even so, he had no real choice because let's face it, being trapped for thousands of years was not worth anything.

"Is there any specific way to destroy these things?"

"Give it everything you've got."

Vlad rolled his eyes at the uncaring demeanor that the creature was once again exhibiting before he turned his attention to the orbs. He tried to fly up to them, but once again it seemed as though gravity had it out for him. He then tried to form an ectoplasmic blast, but it sizzled out in his hand.

"What?" he questioned angrily as he looked at his hands.

"How did you get in here?"

Vlad frowned at nothing in particular since he couldn't exactly see the individual he was talking too.

"Dumb luck," mumbled Vlad before looking at the orbs. They seemed to have started mocking him somehow.

Vlad turned into his human form which caused the disembodied voice to make an indiscernible sound. Vlad tried to use his ecto-blasts in this form, but they still fizzled out. With a shake of his head, Vlad turned back into his ghost form and sneered.

"A Halfa. Those are most certainly rare," spoke the voice with some interest.

Vlad ignored the voice before thinking back to how exactly he got inside. He had been human when he walked through the first corridor, but only because he couldn't fly and in his ghost form he couldn't walk across the floor without it turning intangible. When he turned human, the floor seemed as though it was unsure of what to do, but it ultimately let his human side through. It was as though the floor didn't want his human half to get hurt. The same thing happened with the doorknob. It had turned intangible at his touch, but in his ghost form he was shocked.

"Shocked," mumbled Vlad, an idea instantly forming.

Vlad spread his feet a shoulder length apart and bent his knees slightly. Once he made sure that he was firmly planted to the ground, he began to give off a magenta colored glow. His hands were in fists at his sides as he concentrated. His eyes grew brighter, and his body began to spark and crackle with his electrical powers. After he charged his attack, he hoisted his hands into the air and let out a feral scream, releasing all the pent up energy as he did. The glowing orbs above him tried to suck in the power, but in doing so they overloaded themselves and began to burst one by one.

Blue energy began to flow from some of the orbs as well as the entire room, but Vlad didn't let up. He didn't let up until the last orb was destroyed. When that moment came, Vlad abruptly dropped to the ground and lowered his head. He hadn't used that much power in such a long time and it had effectively drained him. That specific power, at its most powerful, was Vlad's trump card.

Vlad breathed heavily for a few moments before a nagging sensation in the back of his mind told him to look up. When he did, he wasn't disappointed. In front of him was a large amount of blue mist converging with one another until a form could be made out. The form was a brighter shade of blue than Vlad's ghost form, and it had red pupil-less eyes. Vlad said nothing as the creature looked him over.

"You've freed me," he said, his voice anything but excited.

"I did," replied Vlad, momentarily forgetting why he was on the ground.

The creature in front of him smiled, at least by the way his eyes were positioned Vlad assumed it was a smile. It seemed that the creature finally realized that he was indeed free. Without a warning or a protest, the blue mist flew directly into Vlad's body. Vlad shuddered before he began to struggle to remove the foreign creature.

"Relax, Vladimir. I am merely upholding my end of our agreement," stated the creature inside Vlad.

Vlad didn't relax, in fact, he struggled harder.

"What does you being inside me have to do with our agreement?!"

"I am so weak at the moment that I cannot keep my form. All I am going to do is use your body to make our escape."

Before Vlad could protest, he felt his body move against his will. He hated his personal space being invaded, but it seemed that there was nothing he could do about it. The creature inside him chuckled, no doubt able to see whatever Vlad's thoughts were. That's obviously how he learned Vlad's name.

"Relax."

Vlad only growled. The creature sighed as they finally reached the middle of the floor. The creature held Vlad's left hand outward with his palm facing upward.

"Spatial Rift," spoke the creature, his voice barely audible over Vlad's loud and booming which echoed throughout the room.

Vlad's arm began to glow a mixture of violet and magenta as their powers intertwined. The energy traveled down his arm until nothing but his hand began to shine. The energy then began to rise from his hand and expand until it was roughly the size of a door. The energy slowly began to swirl around and turn darker until it was completely black. Vlad hissed when he realized that through the inky blackness of energy he spotted what he could only assume were stars.

"Space?" asked Vlad, anger emitting from his very core.

"Yes," said the creature as it exited Vlad's body, its form not as hazy as before, but not completely discernible.

"I know that beggars cannot be choosers, but isn't there any other place we could go instead?"

"There are plenty of other places we could go, but this is where I must go for the moment. I do not wish to make my presence known to the denizens of the Ghost Zone just yet, so the next best place for me is space."

"Well can't you just send me back outside of this prison?"

"Yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. With those orbs destroyed the Observants will be alerted of my escape in a matter of seconds, and since this prison is inside their boundaries, it won't take them that long to get here. In fact, they should be here in a few minutes. Making another portal would take a little longer considering that I am still weakened and you don't like anyone invading your personal space."

Vlad lowered his head before he actually _heard_ yelling from outside of the door. It must have been those two Observants who had left.

"Fine!" shouted Vlad as he flew beside the hazy creature.

The creature entered the portal, and then Vlad flew in after him. Once the two were out in the vastness of space, the portal vanished. Vlad sighed as he saw just exactly where the portal had brought them; the moon. Vlad landed on the giant crater filled rock and looked out towards the Earth.

"Isn't this quite the familiar sight?" mumbled Vlad with a slight shake of his head.

He then turned his head towards the individual who he had helped escape. His eyes widened slightly when he saw that the mist had formed into a ghost. That wasn't what surprised him; however, it was how fast the creature had managed to solidify his form.

"Amazing," stated Vlad as he approached the creature.

"It's nothing," responded the creature flippantly before smiling at Vlad.

Vlad shook his head as he took in the ghost before him. The ghost actually had on a black robe which covered most of his wispy spectral tail and a golden bracer around his left wrist.

"So Vladimir, was there any specific reason why you were looking for _Clockwork_?"

Vlad had almost forgotten that he had been seeking Clockwork in the first place. Ignoring the way that the ghost spoke of Clockwork and the way the ghost's energy seemed to spike, Vlad nodded his head.

"I was hoping that he would…let me change something that I've done."

"I doubt he'd do such a thing, but perhaps I could offer _my_ assistance," said the ghost as he flew a little higher into the darkened abyss.

The ghost began to fly around in circles just because he could. He had been locked away for so long that he had almost forgotten what it felt like to just be able roam through the open space with no remorse. Flying was one of his favorite past times.

"I want to change something in my past so what could you possibly do to assist me if you are not Clockwork?"

The ghost's eyes and energy seemed to flare angrily at Vlad's words. Vlad tried not to flinch at the sheer power that the other possessed.

"Like. I. Said. I know Clockwork quite well. I know him so well, in fact, that I posses a bit of..time manipulating skills. We would have to make a stop first."

"A stop?" asked Vlad, still a bit dumbfounded by this whole ordeal.

"Yes, to my domain, but as I said I do not wish to make my presence known so soon."

"You've escaped your prison, so I'm sure it won't matter regardless," stated Vlad with a flip of his wrist.

The ghostsaid nothing for a moment before he shrugged. Vlad was right. He was free which meant that it would only be a matter of time before the Observants would start searching for him. Eventually they would go to the one person who would be able to stop him, and that was what he wanted to avoid. He wasn't ready for that confrontation just yet.

Vlad said nothing as the ghost began to form a portal into the Ghost Zone. The ghost then stood aside to let Vlad through. The older Halfa looked at the portal before looking towards the ghost once again.

"It formed faster than before."

"Yes, and I am still not at full power. Impressive don't you think?" asked the ghost who seemed far too nonchalant about it.

Vlad ignored the strange ghost and flew straight through the portal. The ghostfloated in behind him and began to look around the area. The area had floating islands that didn't seem to be moving at all. A few of them looked as though they should have at least had wind blowing on them, but everything was still. Vlad had never really seen anything like this, and was about to ask the ghost about it, but the ghost was emitting some sort of energy; angry energy.

The ghost shot off towards each individual island while Vlad chased after him. This was a new area of the Ghost Zone, and thatghost was the only one who knew the way.

"Blast it, SLOW DOWN!" yelled Vlad as he watched the ghost stop at an island then fly to another.

The ghost stopped momentarily to look at Vlad, his eyes seemed to calm down but just a little bit.

"Let's go," he demanded, his voice a forced calm.

Vlad just shook his head. This ghost was very peculiar.

It didn't take long for the two to reach their destination. It was a very large dark purple keep with a giant window at the very top. At the bottom of the keep was a dark blue door that had two silver handles on each side.

The outside of the keep was surrounded by different colored floating spheres that resembled planets if one wanted to get technical. A few had rings like Saturn. Some had dark spots in them like Mars. There were even some that were extremely cold once you got close to them, making Vlad think of Pluto. There were even some that radiated heat which made him think of the Sun.

The ghost looked at his home and let a gracious smile fall upon his face. He hovered to the glowing spheres and tapped a few of them in a specific sequence which caused the door to open. Vlad said nothing as he followed the ghost inside.

As the two made their way down the corridor, Vlad took a look around. The walls were the same color as the outside door, but had small checkered designs on it. There weren't any pictures on the walls, but there were wall clocks. There were even a few sundials lying around. There was a huge gray grandfather clock in the left corner of the corridor, but it was broken in half.

Upon closer inspection, Vlad noticed that the clocks were set to different time zones, and they were all unmoving. Vlad wanted to question the ghost about the clocks, but something told him not to. This ghost was unstable to Vlad, and the only reason he was here was to have his past changed.

The corridor finally ended and gave way to what looked like a ballroom. The room was covered in telescopes, spheres that looked like earlier versions of present day globes, and papers that had writing on them. Vlad walked over to one piece of paper in particular and raised his brow.

"Galileo?" Vlad questioned the ghost who had continued passed.

"An interesting human..."

The ghost chuckled before he reached a specific spot in the room. He turned his hand intangible and reached through the floor, only to reveal a scepter of his own, one that Vlad recognized from his book of Ghost Zone artifacts. On the base of the scepter was a white five cornered star in between a curved frame which seemed to have a white aura not unlike Danny's aura in ghost form. The scepter was dark gray, almost black in color, and it seemed to have some sort of texture to it which resembled rocks or meteors.

Vlad began to think, only to come to one conclusion. This was no ghost. This was…

The spirit began to channel his energy. The entire room began to glow before the glow started to merge with him. Vlad took a hesitant step back as he watched. When the glow faded the spirit was standing there with a smug look on his face. Vlad blinked, but before he could say a word, theghost abruptly dispersed his energy throughout his entire domain and even further until it reached the rest of the Ghost Zone.

The spirit smiled as he looked over his keep and then his person. His attire had slightly changed which also seemed to have Vlad utterly speechless. Such power…

The spirit looked over to Vlad causing the older Halfa to tense.

"I believe that it's _time_ we had some fun."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Inconspicuous Interference

It had been millenniums since he last turned a blind eye to his duties so that he could ponder his own thoughts. He couldn't help but think of how he had come into existence so suddenly. The thought sent a small spark of humor throughout his being.

The thought soon melded with that of another, one of which had him wondering _why_ constantly. _'Why was I destined to be the Keeper of Time'_? No, _k__eeper_ wasn't right. _Master_ was the correct term for the time manipulating spirit known as Clockwork. Once he came into existence, the concept of time manifested with him, though that isn't to say that everything had been created from him. No, there were those who had already been in existence long before he was, for they were in existence Before Time.

The Master of Time rolled his eyes at the not-so-creative-but-very-accurate name of the realm he currently resided on the border of, which just so happened to be called The Realm Beyond Time, within a place called The Ghost Zone. He hovered past the floating crystal ball like objects which were at least three feet from the floor; each ball showing some sort of scene from the past, present, or future, he really didn't too much care to differentiate between them, especially when musing to himself.

Clockwork paused when he reached the middle of the floor, taking note of the details of his tower. The giant cogs and gears that turned in his ceiling; the same of which would be the exact same as the ones in a clock tower, and it should have, since that's basically what his home was. It was even named _Clockwork's Tower_.

"But only because Clock Tower was much too obvious," he scoffed sarcastically to himself.

His bright red, pupil-less eyes stared at the wall to his far left. It had long Gothic curtains which flowed down from a railing that glowed in a golden hue. The curtain was a dark purple, as was a lot of the décor in his tower which actually went with his attire.

Clockwork looked himself over, unsurprised when his humanoid form decided to shift from that of a young man in his perhaps mid-twenties with no facial hair, to an elderly man resembling many renditions of Merlin from King Arthur's time. His spectral tone or 'skin color' if you could call it that, was a sky blue hue. In this elderly form, he had a white beard which flowed freely; the very tips of hair would've touched the floor if it had not been curved slightly upward. His slender, skeletal looking fingers which were the norm in this current form, were covered in black gloves which had many small watches clasped on to them. Each watch was set differently from the other, though they all ticked simultaneously. Of course, he was used to the constant ticking, and the occasional chimes that went off in his tower.

In his hand was a staff which he found himself gripping tightly to, which was also effected by the shift; growing slightly longer to match its master's own size. It had a small clock at its base which he momentarily began to wind while he thought.

He wore a dark purple hooded cloak which covered his head, while beneath that was a light purple tunic with a working pendulum embedded in the middle of his chest. The tunic was short enough so that it would have shown off his legs if he had any. Instead of two legs he had a wispy spectral tail. Around his waist was a black sash which was home to a small pocket watch. His ensemble clearly screamed 'Time Obsessed'.

Clockwork slowly turned his attention back to the curtain covered wall, his former thoughts making way to newer ones, although 'new' wouldn't be entirely accurate considering he'd pondered these things plenty of times. His thoughts were currently on a particular race that had been in existence before him. These beings called the Observants were peculiar, even among the many inhabitants of the Ghost Zone. They were humanoid in appearance, like him, but there was a big difference; their heads. Instead of having what was considered a 'normal human appearance' they had one giant eyeball which acted for their heads, yet they were able to communicate using actual vocals and not telepathy. It was still something the Time Master had yet to understand.

Focusing on the Observants wasn't something Clockwork tried to do because the Observants annoyed him. As their name would suggest, the Observants observed the things that happened within the time stream and not just for the Ghost Zone, but the Human Zone as well. Unlike them, however, Clockwork could see every aspect of time whereas their view of the time stream was extremely limited.

Clockwork absently twirled his Time Staff in his fingers before his red eyes narrowed into annoyed slits. Every time he thought of the Observants he gave himself a slight headache. Their ignorance towards all in existence (excluding themselves of course) always rubbed him the wrong way, and it didn't help that when they thought someone was a potential threat, they would seek out the Time Master to do their dirty work. It was what really made them insufferable, but…

Clockwork's gaze lowered before it softened ever so slightly. Clockwork had agreed to work with the Observants but only because it had been better than the alternative; an alternative which another had suffered because of his uncooperative attitude.

"Clockwork?" came a voice from behind the pondering Spirit of Time.

If Clockwork hadn't been the Master of Time, he wouldn't have known who was behind him or the reason why that person was there.

"Danny," stated Clockwork with that knowing air that Danny often found himself hating.

The Master of Time turned to face the now seventeen year old Halfa with a small, knowing smile on his face. Danny had a frown on his face, though Clockwork paid it no mind. He was too busy examining the youth in front of him.

Daniel Fenton had been only fourteen when he had the fortune/misfortune of becoming a ghost/human hybrid. At the moment, the teen was in his ghost form. His eyes were an eerily bright emerald color, and his normally black, messy hair was stark white. He wore a HAZMAT suit which was completely black minus the gloves, belt, collar and boots which were white, and his whole body gave off a ghostly white glow.

His HAZMAT suit had originally been white with black belt, gloves, and boots to keep out radiation. After his accident, his suit's color scheme became inverted. A new edition to his suit had been added recently by his girlfriend, and that was the 'DP' insignia that he wore proudly on his chest.

"What seems to be the trouble?" continued Clockwork with that same knowing air.

Danny's frown deepened.

"You're supposed to be the master of all things time related, so you tell me."

Clockwork chuckled, which only added to the teen's annoyance. The Master of Time turned his head away from the teenager, his mind going back to his previous thoughts before he decided to humor the teen with his answer.

"You want to tamper with time once more knowing that your meddling could cause irreparable damage to the time stream as a whole?"

Danny remained quiet, although by the look on his face, he was still very much annoyed, but also a slight bit indecisive.

"You know that meddling with time has its consequences. Sometimes you must let things happen."

"And other times _you_ have to intervene."

Clockwork didn't miss the accusatory tone, but he let it slide. Danny was correct after all. Other times Clockwork _did_ have to intervene.

"It comes with the territory," stated Clockwork offhandedly while his form shrunk down into its infantile form; the beard he had formerly sported vanishing to reveal a round face with chubby cheeks and two buck teeth.

Danny's frown softened just a bit before he began pacing around the tower.

"How can you do it, Clockwork? How can you be Master of Time without being tempted to change something that you don't think is fair?"

"It helps to have the Observants breathing down your neck."

"They breathe?"

"Metaphorically speaking, of course."

Clockwork grinned mischievously at Danny while the teen snorted in an attempt to keep himself from chuckling.

"Seriously though, Clockwork," started Danny after he swallowed his chuckles, "Hasn't there been anything that you've wanted to change that you didn't find fair; someone that you wanted to save?"

Clockwork's smile faded, and although his usual facial transitions gave away nothing, Danny spotted the different emotions flashing through the Time Master's eyes right before the spirit turned from him.

"Whoa," mouthed Danny, unsure of what else to say. He had actually seen Clockwork's unbreakable façade break, if only for a moment, and he could identify some of the different emotions.

"I didn't mean to upset you," started Danny only for Clockwork to sigh exasperatedly.

"It isn't you who's upset me, Danny."

Clockwork waved his hand at one of the floating crystal balls, his back still turned to the Ghost Teen. Danny watched him curiously while unable to shake the slight shock he was feeling. To him, it was as though Clockwork hadn't been expecting such a question, but that was impossible. Clockwork was the Master of Time. He knew everything, at least that's what he always told Danny.

Hesitantly, Danny walked until he was beside the time spirit, both individuals stared down at the crystal ball. At first, nothing happened, but then Clockwork gently tapped the small scepter against it (It shrank to make holding it easier for small, chubby, infantile hands). The orb glowed brightly before the glow began to become cloudy and swirl around the inside. Seconds later, the glow began to fade slowly until there was a clear image; an image that caused Danny's eyes to somewhat widened as he watched a certain event unfold. On the screen was Danny from five hours ago, flying over Amity Park, his home town, on patrol which was the norm for him, when seemingly out of nowhere, one of his foes, the Box Ghost, appears.

"_I AM THE BOX GHOST," screamed the blue toned ghost with blue overalls over an off white T-shirt, and a dark blue skull cap._

_His hands were hoisted in the air and were aglow with blue ecto-energy._

"_BEWARE!" he yelled, shoving his hands forward which caused every cardboard box in the area to go hurtling towards the teenager._

_With a startled yelp, Danny turned intangible as the cardboard boxes flew towards him from all sides. When he thought it was safe, he dropped his intangibility and turned towards the Box Ghost, hands firmly on his hips._

"_Is that all you've got, Boxie?" asked the young hero cockily before realizing that no, in fact, that wasn't all the Box Ghost seemed to have._

_Barely managing to dodge a square shape chunk of sidewalk, Danny turned back to the Box Ghost and gawked at him. _

"_That was…new?" he stated, though it was more of a question._

"_YES! YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONE WHOSE POWERS HAVE GROWN, DAN-NY PHAN-TOM!"_

_Danny winced before he looked at the chunk of side walk. With the Ghost Teen distracted, the Box Ghost took his chance. He raised his hands up and once again shoved them forward. Instead of the usual cardboard boxes, other items that were somehow considered a 'box' came hurtling towards him just as the piece of sidewalk had. _

_Danny found himself dodging pieces of sidewalks, refrigerators, mailboxes and other things. Luckily the area of Amity Park he had been flying over was abandoned which made him wonder where exactly the Box Ghost was getting half of his ammunition. Danny could have easily turned himself intangible to avoid all of the items that had been hurled his way again, but his mind had been much too distracted to think logically._

_Satisfied, however, the Box Ghost eased up his attack until he finally decided the flustered Ghost Teen had had enough. The Box Ghost put his hands on his hips and watched happily as Danny glared at him._

"_YES, NOW YOU KNOW THE TRUE POWER OF THE BOOOX GHOOOST!" yelled the chubby blue toned ghost with his hands in the air while his fingers wiggled in what he thought was a menacing gesture._

_Danny growled, and sensing that things were probably going to go down hill for him, the Box Ghost decided that it was time to retreat._

"_BEWARE!" he yelled as a small magenta colored box appeared from seemingly nowhere. _

_Before Danny could even get a blast at the Box Ghost, the chubby little ghost disappeared inside the box like a genie would into their lamp, and the box vanished with a 'poof'._

_Danny just stared at the spot where the Box Ghost had been, unable to process the possibility of what just happened, at least not until he heard a chorus of chuckles and then outright laughter from below him. Looking down, Danny instantly saw the faces of his more…formidable foes like Skulker and Ember, although there were a few more ghosts loitering, namely Johnny 13 and Kitty._

_Danny's ghostly white face turned even whiter, if that was possible, before his face turned at least ten shades of red._

"_How could you let yourself get shown up by, of all things in existence, the Box Ghost?" teased Skulker, a green ghost who was at least three inches tall, but wore a light gray-blue mechanical ghost suit which was at least five feet tall give or take a few inches. His true form resided in the mechanical head which no doubt held the controls for the rest of the suit. _

_Around his neck, over the area where his mechanical head met his mechanical body was a black leather choker with a white skull in the middle. On top of the metal armor were clothing; a plain black sleeveless shirt with matching black pants. Over the pants was a gray belt with a blue belt buckle in the shape of an 'S'. He also wore basic gray boots and gloves, though he did have a holster on his belt with some sort of weapon. It looked like he wasn't in the mood for a hunt which was odd considering that Skulker was the Ghost Zone's self-proclaimed Greatest Hunter. He usually made it his business to hunt the Ghost Teen whenever he got the chance._

_Skulker's light green artificial flaming hair which sprouted from the middle of his mechanical head in the shape of a Mohawk and from his chin as a goatee flared as he laughed. The green flames also seemed, to Danny, like they were teasing him._

_Beside Skulker stood his punk rock girlfriend, a white-blue toned ghost. Her black and blue tattered tank top seemed to move as her chest heaved up and down as she tried to fight back her uncontrollable laughter. The blue, purple, and black flame shaped electric guitar she had no doubt been strumming on was currently being used to prop her up as she hunched forward in her fit of laughter. Her flaming blue hair danced just as wildly as Skulker's hair, and it was obvious that tears would have been streaming down her cheeks had she been alive._

"_Oh…Oh…ooooh, dipstick," said Ember as she wiped an imaginary tear from her eye._

_Kitty, a light sky blue toned ghost with bright grass green hair had her hand over her mouth. Her red jacket was around her waist, and her matching red skirt seemed to wave slightly as she tried to suppress her giggles. With her free hand, she tried to pat down the imaginary wrinkles on her black halter top, but Danny wasn't buying it._

_Kitty's boyfriend, Johnny 13 was also trying to suppress his chuckles. He ran his biker glove covered fingers through his messy dirty blond hair while he locked his emerald green eyes on his girlfriend's burning red ones. His thick leather jacket hung off his shoulders revealing his off white T-shirt. His free hand was in the pocket of his black baggy pants. The couple was leaning up against Johnny's black and grey motorcycle. The two would occasionally look up at Danny, suppress their giggles and then look elsewhere while Skulker and Ember laughed it up._

_Feeling flustered, Danny said the first thing that came to mind._

"_Shut it."_

_It was obviously not the right thing to say, because that made Johnny and Kitty laugh, while Ember practically fell to the ground._

"_IT WASN'T EVEN THAT FUNNY!" fumed Danny as he watched Ember laugh dramatically at his expense._

_The group of four ignored Danny who just continued to hover in the air, completely embarrassed about having been shown up by one of the weakest ghost that he had ever encountered. Even Poindexter, the nerdiest individual that Danny had ever come across, was more formidable than the Box Ghost._

"_So then, Mr. Almost Unworthy Prey, explain how you let yourself become defenseless in the hands of, and I quote, THE BOX GHOST!" taunted Skulker, his imitation of the Box Ghost pushing Kitty and Johnny over the edge._

_Danny opened his mouth to argue that he hadn't been prepared for the Box Ghost to just randomly attack him. Sure, his ghost sense had gone off, but he hadn't even had a chance to look around! Besides, the Box Ghost usually just yelled at the top of his lungs, argued that he was the master of all containers cardboard and square, then get sucked in a thermos while yelling out his signature 'Beware', but Danny already knew that would have been a futile argument._

"_ARUGH!" he yelled before he flew off, not even concerned that two out of the four ghosts he had fled from were most likely going to try something later on._

_He even picked up speed after he heard Ember and Skulker simultaneously yell at him to 'Beware'._

As the images faded, Danny once again found his face completely red with embarrassment. Sure he knew Clockwork knew what had happened already, but it didn't stop the embarrassment.

"Who exactly are you trying to save?" asked Clockwork, going back to the question that Danny had asked him to use as ammunition.

It wasn't that Danny was trying to save anyone this time around, although he could argue that it was his reputation that needed saving, but even then that was selfish.

"Come on, Clockwork! You can't tell me that changing this one moment in time could be completely catastrophic to all of time and space."

Clockwork unintentionally bristled, and Danny noticed.

"Um, what-" Danny asked, unsure of what was going on with the Master of Time.

Clockwork stared at Danny a moment too long, his appearance shifting into that of an elderly man since his infant form shifted to his young adult guise while they were watching the past events unfold, before responding to the teen.

"You should know that changing one small detail in time can be catastrophic."

Clockwork pointed his staff towards a podium which stood in the back towards the right side of the large room. There on top of the podium was a very banged up Fenton Thermos. Danny shuddered, knowing all too well who it was that resided inside.

"Fine, I get it. I get it," mumbled Danny with a frown.

Clockwork smiled a bit then turned away from Danny who watched as the Time Spirit floated away from him. Danny wasn't sure if he should leave or not, but only because he was certain that he had said something wrong.

"Uh, Clockwork?" asked Danny as he began to float towards the spirit.

Clockwork said nothing, as he turned back to face Danny expectantly.

Danny looked at Clockwork, carefully studying his face. The lightning shaped marking beneath Clockwork's left eye always seemed to draw Danny's attention, but he never had the nerve to ask why it was there, just like he didn't have the nerve to ask about it now. Instead, he found himself utterly confused.

"You okay?" he finally asked just to get rid of the awkwardness he was feeling.

"I'm fine," stated Clockwork, his usual neutral façade once again concealing his emotions.

Even so, Danny was the king of the 'I'm Fine' excuse so he knew that Clockwork wasn't being honest with him.

"Then everything is the way it's supposed to be?" asked Danny almost mockingly, but he startled when he saw Clockwork's eyes dull a bit and...

…He didn't answer.

Danny hovered closer to Clockwork who shifted once more to his infantile form.

"Want to talk about it?" Danny asked with curiosity evident in his bright green eyes.

Clockwork looked as though he was considering it, but then he shook his head.

"No, you've got too much on your plate already, and your life has only yet to flourish."

Danny groaned. He could only imagine what life had in store for him. Being an average teenager who was constantly picked on because of his lack of muscles, looks, and popularity was one thing, but add having ghost powers that you used to fight crime, ghost hunter parents who constantly wanted to hunt down your ghost side to dissect it, education and a miniscule social life only for that to drastically change one day by your secret being exposed to everyone which in turn causes your life to do a complete one-eighty and see what happens to you.

Clockwork turned away from Danny, his face scrunched up into a frown because he knew that something was not right. Danny, on the other hand, remained where he had been floating in order to figure out what he should do next. Clockwork wasn't going to help him change the encounter with the Box Ghost which meant that he was going to have to live with the embarrassment.

"I think it is time for you to leave," stated Clockwork after a few minutes, hiding his emotions a lot better than he had been the entire time of Danny's visit.

"You…think?" asked Danny, knowing that if Clockwork was 'thinking' about it, then clearly something was amiss.

Clockwork turned towards Danny and raised his staff towards the entrance to the tower, which caused Danny to sigh and slump his shoulders.

"I get it. Just, I don't know, try to take it easy, and sorry if I upset you."

Danny flew to the exit of the tower before he turned back around to watch Clockwork. The now elderly Time Spirit had his back to the Ghost Teen which Danny took advantage of. Since Clockwork was the Master of Time, then he should know that Danny would try this dumb trick, but Clockwork seemed so different that anything seemed possible today, especially after getting his behind handed to him by the Box Ghost.

'_Two clear signs of the apocalypse'_, thought Danny cynically before letting himself disappear into the invisible spectrum.

Clockwork let out a tiresome sigh before he tapped the orb that he and Danny had been looking through only moments before. The cloudy glow returned and engulfed the inside of the orb before it cleared, showing a new image.

He began to watch Danny's time line and noted that he could see the flow of time, but it was not clear. Not as clear as it was supposed to be. It looked as though someone was tampering with a television antenna resulting in an unclear picture. Clockwork raised a questioning brow before moving on to Vladimir Masters AKA Vlad Plasmius's time line. Like Danny's, Vlad's was visible, yet unclear.

"An anomaly…"

Clockwork's form shifted into his young adult form as he watched another time stream which belonged to Danielle Masters AKA Danni Phantom, the female hybrid clone of Danny Phantom. Her time line was the same as the two other Halfas, i.e. unclear. Clockwork continued to check other time lines whether they were ghosts or humans, and came to the same conclusion. Something was messing with the time streams, and Clockwork was unable to pinpoint who, what, when, where, how or why.

"I should be expecting visitors soon," he mouthed as he began to wind the clock on the base of his staff.

"Any _time_ now," he muttered with annoyance.

As if on cue, two voices called out the spirit's name simultaneously.

He turned to face the two Observants who stood side by side, directly in front of him. They wore black high collared capes with golden trim outlining the collar around the edges. There was a round golden clasp holding the cape together in the center. Beneath the cape they wore a white robe with a golden staff looking design that went from just below the clasp of the cape all the way down to the bottom of the robe. Over the robe was a red sash that matched the inside color of the black and gold capes they wore. Their green tone seemed to glow intensely with their rising panic. Long skeletal like fingers tapped together nervously, no doubt a habit they formed centuries ago. Their eyeball for a head seemed panicked, but Clockwork ignored the state they were in, and waited patiently for them to lay their problems onto him.

"This is terrible!"

"Disastrous!"

"Vague," interrupted Clockwork while he raised his hand. "Would you mind being a little more specific?"

The two Observants looked at each other before they looked back at Clockwork, both of them seemed to be quite miffed about having been cut off so abruptly by the Master of Time. Clockwork's form shifted to his infantile state, though he still looked expectantly at the Observants. He had to really refrain from rolling his eyes, so he turned his back to them and shook his head.

"If it is about the time stream, which it usually is when you come to me, then let me inform you that I've noticed it has become clouded."

The Observants's eyeball heads seemed to go wide at the revelation.

"So then, it is worse than we have feared!" stated the first one.

"Yes, much worse."

"It's much worse than _terrible_ and _disastrous_? Really?" asked Clockwork sarcastically.

"MUCH!" shouted both Observants together, not even hearing the sarcasm in the Time Master's voice.

The two Observants hovered away from Clockwork before they started speaking silently among themselves. Clockwork seemed surprised. Usually they were all for yelling at him and demanding him to fix something for them. Instead they seemed…worried? This didn't go unnoticed by Danny either, although his experiences with the Observants were limited, he could tell by Clockwork's reaction that this was a strange development.

"Though I am the Master of Time and can retrieve wasted minutes, I prefer it if you would stop wasting them and share with me what it is that has the two of you so obviously rattled?"

The two Observants stopped whispering abruptly to look at the Master of Time whose form once again shifted to its young adult form. The two of them turned back to each other, each one nodding to reassure the other.

"We believe that…"

"That is to say…"

"…"

Clockwork closed his eyes and opened them slightly. If only he could just see into their time streams so that he could understand what exactly was going on without having to be subjected to this idiocy. Of course, that couldn't happen because their beginning was before time itself. They existed outside of the time stream which is just another way of saying time does not apply to them. They do not have to follow its laws, but they do have to keep it orderly just like everything else within the Human and Ghost Zone.

The two Observants began whispering among each other, but Clockwork just hovered where he was. His body shifted into its elderly form and he nearly dropped his staff. It wasn't that he lost his grip, it was that when the Observants turned to him, they had gave him this…look that he just couldn't place, and it startled him.

The Observants were quiet for several minutes, their eye never meeting Clockwork's, at least not until he was in his young adult form once again. The two Observants both turned their heads up quickly, and it caught the Time Master by surprise, but nothing could have prepared him for what happened next.

The two spirits simultaneously outstretched their hands and pointed at Clockwork. The Time Spirit watched with uncertainty and interest, right before a bright blue light engulfed him. The only reason Danny wasn't rushing out there to assist the spirit was because Clockwork didn't seem too concerned about it, a little shocked at first, but otherwise he was fine. He didn't scream and he didn't panic. He just stood there and accepted it.

Once the blue light faded from around Clockwork, the two Observants looked at him warily. Clockwork's appearance had slightly changed, but not by much. His young adult form seemed slightly taller, and the mark under his eye seemed a little thinner, but other than that, there was no real difference, at least none that Danny could tell.

For a moment, the trio of spirits said nothing. Finally, Clockwork broke the silence.

"Terrible and disastrous," Clockwork repeated, his expression unable to hide his shock.

Clockwork was obviously nervous. The two Observants nodded together.

"And you haven't told me anymore than that."

"We can't, Clockwork."

"At least we can't tell you everything."

"We aren't entirely sure of all the details..."

Clockwork looked at his Time Staff and watched as the slightly thinner staff glistened with his energy.

"If something catastrophic is about to occur and I can't see it, but you know a bit about it then wouldn't it be wise to tell me just in case I need an ample amount of time to prepare?"

The two Observants gulped before sharing tentative glances with each other.

"One of our…_prisoners_ has…managed to somehow escape."

"Yes, escape. But we have no idea how this particular one was able to do so, at least not on his own."

Clockwork floated around his tower, a light blue spectral trail following as he did.

'_That's new',_ thought Danny as he watched the Master of Time _pace_.

"So it's like the Vortex incident?"

"Yes," the Observants answered together.

"But worse!" one added.

"Much worse!" stated the other.

"So I've heard," mumbled Clockwork, this time actually rolling his eyes.

The Observants said nothing, they just watched Clockwork pace. He was trying to piece everything together. It was clear that Clockwork figured asking a direct _who the heck escaped_ would result in the infamous runaround so he was obviously trying the indirect approach.

"Was there any trace of an accomplice?" asked Clockwork, picking his questions carefully.

"No-one would be foolish enough to tread on Observant territory."

"No-one except Vlad Plasmius, hm?" stated Clockwork warily.

The two Observants got quiet. Clockwork himself looked thoughtful. He could no longer rely on the time streams to help him figure this out.

"After all, it was Plasmius who broke out Vortex if I recall correctly."

"You can recall everything flawlessly," one of the Observants reminded Clockwork.

Clockwork had to bite back his 'I know everything' comment since in this case, he didn't know _anything._

"We do not believe that Plasmius had anything to do with this. Besides, we are **certain** that he is still—"

Clockwork raised a brow when the Observant who had been speaking silenced himself. It was….it was actually a first. The Observants never really knew when to shut up if he was going to be honest with himself.

"In space," Clockwork finished for him without giving it a second thought.

When neither Observant answered, however, Clockwork's core began to tingle.

"…you've returned to me all of my powers because one of your prisoners has escaped. This prisoner is obviously powerful enough for you to come running to me as the humans would say. Normally I'd say that everything the two of you do is blown out of proportion, but…this can't possibly be an option under the circumstances. You need me at my best for something."

The Observants floated uncomfortably under Clockwork's unwavering gaze before the first one lowered his head like he was ashamed of something.

"Clockwork, for once we can honestly say that this is the perfect time to panic."

"Indeed. We are not taking any chances. You at full power should be proof of that."

"Perhaps, but full unrestrained use of my time manipulation powers isn't enough. I need to know what it is that I am up against, like the incident with Dan Phantom."

The Observants and Danny shuddered, but the Observants tensed before they made a sound that Danny knew was a whine.

Clockwork gaped at this immature and unprofessional behavior from his so called _employers_, but he could tell they were reacting like this out of fear, but fear of what?

"If you aren't going to tell me anything important such as the name of your prisoner and your suspicions, then I suggest you take back the full access of my powers, remove yourself from my home, and stop wasting my valuable _time. _There is nothing I can do without the details."

Danny seemed blown away at everything he was taking in. The Observants, however, were stunned at Clockwork's audacity. How dare he…

Clockwork turned his back to the two Observants and the hidden Ghost Teen, and stared at one of the orbs that had been floating lazily over the floor. Clockwork tapped it with his staff and watched as the orb instantly showed him an image, though he was barely paying it any mind. Clockwork didn't want to believe that time, something that he was supposed to have full control over, was being tampered with. It was just small things here and there, but those small things were drastic enough to have some sort of consequence.

Not only that, but Clockwork _knew_ that someone was intentionally messing with him. His time windows NEVER received such interference before which meant that whoever this was…well, they were trying his patience.

Clockwork watched uneasily as certain events remained unclear, including a certain young half breed's time line that he had been tasked with watching over. That's when he noticed a ripple in the time window. The ripple removed all of the interference (at least from that particular time stream), revealing that a certain someone still had yet to leave his tower. He was…unsure if it was accurate, but when he turned his attention towards the spot that had been shown to him through the window, he noticed a small shimmer that meant something was standing by, invisibly.

Danny tensed as Clockwork turned in his direction. He hadn't felt this unnerved around the spirit except for the first time the met. Clockwork continued to stare at that area expectantly, and moments later the teen materialized. The two Observants gasped at the Ghost Teen before their eyeball for heads narrowed in suspicion.

"Uh, hello," Danny chanced nervously.

Clockwork sighed and shook his head. This was just…unbelievable. What in the world was going on?

Danny, glued to the spot, watched as Clockwork floated back and forth.

"I don't understand," the Time Spirit admitted. "I look at one path, but then they all become crossed. It's as though someone else is messing with the time streams just to annoy me."

"You don't think Vlad made some sort of time machine from space, do you? I mean, if I was that seriously crazed up fruit loop, then I would definitely try to undo revealing myself during the Disasteroid."

"You, Danny, would go back even further and make sure that he never got his ghost powers to begin with."

Danny blushed. He had indeed gone back and stopped Vlad from getting his ghost powers, and that resulted in something much, much worse.

"Ouch, Clockwork," mumbled Danny, but he was either unheard or ignored.

"Perhaps this child had something to do with the other's escape!"

"Yes, it would be in the child's nature to tamper with the balance of things!"

"Hey! This _child_ that you're referring to is standing right here, you an—"

"ENOUGH!" yelled Clockwork, his loud and booming voice reverberating off the walls of the tower, shaking the entire lair.

Danny had to cover his ears and get low. The sound reminded him of a harmless yet extremely loud ghostly wail. The Observants too, were quieted, but only because they were once again stunned by Clockwork and his sudden array of emotions.

"Enough," Clockwork repeated calmly while floating back and forth, unable to understand why he was a bundle of nerves.

Clockwork had always been a patient spirit, and it was always such an easy task to hide whatever emotion he was feeling, whenever the situation called for it. His demeanor was always a neutral one, and he would only let down his façade when in the privacy of his lair. Now, however, he was a mess. Someone was intentionally toying with him, but he had only a few ideas as to who it was and why. The Observants obviously knew, but they hadn't said anything and Danny…well, he was sure that Danny was just clueless.

Clockwork sighed before the grip on his staff tightened. He looked at the two Observants, not really paying attention to Danny. The Ghost Teen had most likely heard everything so what was the point in making him leave? Clockwork knew from watching the boy for years that he was stubborn. If he wanted to know something, help, or make sure that someone was alright he would loiter around until he was satisfied. Why Clockwork hadn't thought of that until now was beyond him, but it didn't matter. It was too late to change it. Then again he was the Spirit of Time. He could rewind time and make sure that Danny left, but what would be the point? It would be a waste of his powers and there was no harm done. It would have made no difference, at least that's what Clockwork was thinking. Right now, he wasn't sure. He couldn't be sure considering he couldn't consult his viewing orbs.

"All I need to know is who it is that I will be up against so that if there is some alternative to stopping them without harming them, I can, and if not then I will at least be prepared enough not to waste any more time than what would be necessary. Of course, with the two of you, I can never have my way. In one situation, I had to, as you say, 'cheat' so that I didn't have to kill Danny so that his evil future self would never exist. Of course, you had no problem telling me then who my target was, and what was needed of me then. You didn't even want me to give the boy a chance. You just wanted me to execute him on sight! Now, this situation is completely reversed. This time, I actually want to help you, and you're withholding information from me. I'm supposed to be the cryptic spirit of the Timeless Realm, and you are supposed to be the ones to enact and carry out what is just or whatever it is that you do, but of course you can't even do that on your own. You need me to do it for you."

The Observants lowered their heads once more while Danny stared at Clockwork. He hadn't known that bit of information. Well, he knew that Clockwork's employers wanted him eliminated, but he never knew that they were so ruthless about it.

Clockwork was trying his hardest to piece the situation together. It was true that he wanted to help the Observants, but only to get them out of his hair, not to mention he was sure that whatever their problem was just so happened to be the same thing that was screwing up the time streams.

Danny knew that Clockwork was a very mysterious and cryptic spirit which meant that he was probably good at figuring out hidden messages and reading people, kind of like when Danny's older sister Jazz tried to psychoanalyze someone. He could see the gears turning in Clockwork's head, no doubt trying to come to some sort of conclusion.

That's when Danny saw it, and he was sure that the Observants had seen it too since they both tensed up at the same time that he did. Clockwork's body tensed before his blue energy grew brighter. It slowly began to fade back to its original brightness, but Clockwork's red eyes turned to a cobalt blue and remained that way after the glow was completely normal. In a matter of moments, blue eyes returned to red, and a glare that would make Batman cry had replaced Clockwork's expression.

"Recap," stated Clockwork, his voice colder than Danny's ice powers, though his expression gave nothing else away.

"The two of you come in here talking of terrible and disastrous things, only to hesitate and not tell me what it is exactly. Then, after several moments of prompting, the two of you finally admit that one of your prisoners has escaped, only you don't know how he did so without help. The moment I mention Vlad, you say that you doubt it's him because he's still in _space_?"

The Observants both winced at the word, or perhaps it was the way it was said. Either way, it didn't seem to matter because Clockwork was sure of his deduction.

"Let's not forget that I am back at full power," continued Clockwork, though he made no attempt to somehow prove that he was at his maximum.

The Obsesrvants nodded their heads slowly, while Clockwork turned his head to the wall that was covered in the dark purple Gothic curtain. Clockwork hovered over to it quickly, no longer paying any mind to the Observants or to Danny who was standing in a shocked silence. Once Clockwork made it to the wall, he quickly opened the curtains only to reveal a solid looking wall with nothing of importance on it or around. Danny stared at the Time Master curiously, before he turned his attention to the two Observants who were whispering nervously.

Clockwork placed his staff against the wall and tapped it twice. The wall began to get darker and darker until it was black and dotted with what appeared to be stars. Danny, being the aspiring young astronomer that he was, took interest in the wall which was currently showing what appeared to be the Milky Way Galaxy in its entirety.

"Cool," breathed Danny as he absently walked towards the wall.

"Perhaps," mumbled Clockwork before he gently placed his hand against it.

Danny stopped walking, unsure of what Clockwork was up to. The Master of Time frowned before removing his hand from the wall. He waved his staff in front of it, causing the scenery to fade until it was back to how it was originally.

Clockwork turned to the Observants, ignoring Danny's presence once more. He would have to deal with the Ghost Teen later.

"You've…consulted the stars?" asked one of the Observants timidly.

"I have," stated Clockwork, oddly calm despite his attitude only moments ago.

"Well?"

"There was nothing."

"Nothing," both Observants asked together.

"That is what I said," stated Clockwork with a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"Mood swings much," questioned Danny without thinking.

Clockwork looked at the slightly embarrassed boy before turning back to the two Observants.

"If you truly wish for me to be of some assistance…"

"We're sorry Clockwork."

"Yes, we are truly sorry."

"If that is all then, care to observe the door?"

Both Observants floated around uncomfortably while Danny stood a good distance away from them.

"Clockwork," started the first Observant while looking to the other.

The Observants watched each other, neither one knowing what to do or how to phrase what it was they _needed_ to say to the Master of Time. Clockwork, on the other hand, no longer showed any interest in the two Observants. Instead, his neutral stare was directed on Danny.

"You never left," stated Clockwork more than questioned.

Danny nodded, though he alternated between watching the Observants and the ground.

"Yeah, I was worried. I mean, you were acting strange, okay? Any other time you're all mysterious and puzzling but today…well, it's like I caught you with your pants down. I saw how you looked when I said certain things. You tried to hide it, but…well, I saw the anger and the hurt…I just wanted to make sure you were fine. I was gonna leave, honest I was, but then they came in and started talking, and you seemed to be calming down, but then they just…"

Danny huffed and looked at Clockwork.

"I was just really fascinated, I guess. I want to know what's going on. I want to help if I can."

Clockwork closed his eyes before he looked down at the teen. He could tell the boy was being sincere. He could also see the massive amount of questions the boy was refraining from asking. The boy's hero complex was very massive though Clockwork was sure the boy would deny it.

"Perhaps you'll have the chance," stated Clockwork offhandedly.

He had seen Danny fighting something when he viewed the boy's time line, but whatever it was that he was fighting had been severely distorted by whatever anomaly was causing time to flux so violently.

"Really?" Danny said, unsure if this was just Clockwork's way of somehow manipulating him into going back home.

Going back home was not a trip that Danny wanted to take. He had run into a few ghosts on the way to Clockwork's Tower, and most of them knew about his run in with the Box Ghost. He could only imagine the trip back. Honestly, he was in NO hurry to get home any time soon.

"Do ghosts sleep?" Danny asked, though Clockwork didn't even crack a smile.

Danny let it go, knowing that Clockwork was still taking in everything that was happening. His calm façade no longer gave away any hidden emotion, but to Danny the damage was already done. He had seen Clockwork vulnerable, and that only made him realize that even the most powerful being in existence had his off days just like everyone else.

Danny felt that he probably should have been more sensitive when he was trying to get Clockwork to let him alter the incident pertaining to the Box Ghost. It was obvious that Clockwork did have the need to try to save someone who he thought deserved a chance. Clockwork had saved not only Danny but also his friends and family, not to mention gave him a second chance to make things right. Clockwork could have just did what was told which was to terminate him.

Even so, that brought up a lot of things about Clockwork. Danny knew nothing about the Time Spirit. He was certain that he had said something more that had upset Clockwork, but since he didn't really know much about the spirit he couldn't really figure out what it could have been, except for the insensitive question about Clockwork wanting to save someone.

Heck, Danny was sure it was more to it than that. Maybe Danny had offended the Time Spirit, but he couldn't really tell. He, at least, needed to know a little of something before he tried to completely understand what he did wrong, but how was he to do so?

"Clockwork, listen I…"

"Are you about to apologize?" countered Clockwork, who frowned at Danny before looking over to the Observants who had been apologizing for the past few minutes.

Danny blinked. The time streams must have really been going wonky if Clockwork had to _ask_ Danny what it was that he was about to say, especially when he said it with slight frustration.

"Um…no?"

"Mhm."

Danny could hear something in Clockwork's tone.

"And you two are still here as well," stated Clockwork, his attention back to the still apologizing Observants.

What in the world had gotten into them? For the longest time, Clockwork had wanted to receive some sort of praise or appreciation from them, and when he felt that they had been wrong, an apology. Now that he was getting the apology at least, he couldn't help but feel annoyed and at the same time, curious.

"We are indeed."

"Yes, because…well…"

"..."

Clockwork looked thoughtfully to the side, but Danny momentarily saw the shimmer of annoyance in the Time Spirit's eye. Clockwork had nothing to say to the silence. What exactly could he say? He could question them again, but he knew that he wasn't going to get an answer out of them.

Even so, Clockwork had a hunch of who had escaped, but he didn't want to act on it. He wanted to be _absolutely_ sure. It's like knowing there's some sort of major disaster coming, but not knowing what kind. You wouldn't pack an umbrella for an earthquake after all.

"We're sorry," they chorused.

For a second, Danny forgot that it was Clockwork who worked for the Observants.

"So you've said, more times than you probably realize."

The Observants looked at each other then turned to face Clockwork. Before they could get another word out, a black hole appeared between them. There were two short screams, and a gasp from Danny as the vortex sucked up the Observants. Clockwork's eyes flashed a vibrant cobalt color before the Observants completely disappeared while at the same time the Master of Time pulled Danny to his side, and watched as the black hole swirled around, not unlike a ghost portal, then vanished.

Clockwork's eyes returned to their normal red hue, but he wasn't concerned with that. Had a black hole just appeared in the main room of his lair? Judging from the way Danny eased his way back to the spot and examined it with his foot, Clockwork decided that the answer to that was a definite 'yes'.

Danny shuddered as he looked back to Clockwork whose normal expression was back.

"What the heck just happened?!" asked Danny before he gently poked the area where the black hole had been.

"I believe the Observants were sucked into some sort of swirling black vortex," Clockwork replied almost without care.

Danny wasn't sure if he liked Clockwork's neutral behavior at the moment. Danny's expression saddened, though Clockwork didn't seem too bothered by it. It was something that was expected of Danny.

"They're fine. I managed to change their destination at the last minute."

Danny looked up so fast that the Time Spirit was surprised that the Ghost Teen didn't give himself whiplash.

"Really?" asked Danny, relief evident in his tone.

"Yes."

Clockwork turned his back to Danny and began to move around his lair. Danny just stood there, uncertain as to what he could do to possibly help in this situation. Unlike Clockwork, Danny didn't have _any_ idea as to what was going on.

"So um, do you know anyone who can make black holes like that?"

Clockwork said nothing as he moved about his lair, although Danny was positive the Spirit of Time had heard him. He saw it in the way he moved. Danny folded his arms over his chest expectantly, but Clockwork kept floating around.

"Okay, next question. This entire time, you were never at full power?"

Again, Clockwork ignored Danny, but the teenager wasn't deterred in the least.

"Alright, how about this; why wasn't the black hole strong enough to suck up everything?"

"Danny, I need to focus on this. If you truly wish to aid me, then you can start by not dividing my attention," he said without stopping what he was doing.

"Fine."

Danny continued to watch Clockwork pace around his lair. The Master of Time would occasionally stop at a bookshelf which lined the back left side of his wall. The books seemed to give off a ghostly aura when Clockwork got near. The spirit would place his finger against the spine of the book and drag it slowly across while mumbling the title of each one. When nothing seemed to catch his eye, he would move on to another shelf. Danny had to hover around slightly so that he could continue to watch the Master of Time.

Clockwork disappeared a few times behind giant gears that were embedded into the floor of his lair. Apparently there were more bookshelves in the back. This had Danny confused. If Clockwork was the Master of Time and he knew everything, then why did he even have books? Books were written by people or in Ghost Writer's case, ghosts that observed something or made up stories that they thought were good enough to be published. Clockwork should know everything about them, even the made up ones.

After a few more moments of watching, Danny flew over to a giant cog and took a seat. The cog wasn't moving or anything, so Danny figured that it would be alright. He glanced around Clockwork's lair thoroughly this time, and noticed a few more things that he hadn't on his first two visits or the many visits afterward. Of course, the first time he had been trying to escape Clockwork since the guy had been chasing him with a scythe. The second time, well, his two best friends and his cheese-headed arch-nemesis lives had been in danger, so he didn't have time to sight see.

Danny noticed the few homey touches like the Gothic curtain that Clockwork had been at earlier. There were the time windows, the clockwork parts, and a few small tables. His eyes then went to the bare window against the back wall which showed the outside of the tower. Glowing swirls of forest and emerald green colored ectoplasm could be seen from the window. That was the color of the Ghost Zone.

"Found it," muttered Clockwork as he appeared from a totally different room.

The Spirit of Time walked from the room, passing the podium that had the banged up Fenton Thermos on it. The thermos moved a bit, but Clockwork paid it no attention.

Clockwork levitated the book over to Danny who hesitated before he took it from the air.

"You couldn't find it?" he asked, unsure as to what was going on with the world that he knew.

"It wasn't where I knew it was supposed to be," was the confusing answer from Clockwork.

Danny just shrugged and looked down at the book in his hands. Of course he wanted to know why Clockwork had given him a book to begin with, but he knew that sometimes the answers to obvious questions could be found when looking in obvious places. In this case the obvious place would be the book in his hands.

Danny felt the velvet like cover of the book before tracing the gold colored letters of the title.

"Spirit Tome," read Danny before he looked back up to Clockwork.

Clockwork had already wandered back into the room that he had come out of, so Danny just turned his attention back to the book that was in his hands.

"So basically you're a book on spirits," Danny mumbled to the book. "I guess this means Clockwork wants my help."

"Or to keep you occupied," said another voice that caused Danny to jump from where he had been sitting.

He turned his gaze to the Fenton Thermos and watched as it seemed to jump around the table. After a few minutes, a growl could be heard from the inside of the thermos. Danny sat back down hesitantly, his eyes never leaving the jazzed up soup container.

"This thing can't hold me forever," mumbled the creature within the thermos.

"Yeah, yeah," mumbled Danny as he opened the book, though his eyes remained on the thermos.

After a few seconds of staring at the thermos, Danny decided that everything was fine. He turned to the first page which was the title page. After that was the table of contents. The first chapter of the tome seemed to be about the Ancients. Figuring that whatever they were after wasn't an Ancient, Danny decided not to read through it. Danny continued to go through just the table of contents. Danny reached Clockwork's name and hesitated. He wanted to learn more about the Master of Time, but he had a feeling that he knew more than whoever it was who wrote this book…unless one of the Ancients, Observants or Clockwork himself wrote the tome.

Danny decided to move on, and five pages through he came to the Observants. He skipped over them and continued to read through until he came to the tenth page of the tome's table of contents. He skimmed over the page and stopped when he read one of the names closest to the bottom.

Danny mumbled to himself while ignoring the occasional taunt from the creature locked in the thermos. The name was simply Space Case which was why it caught his attention.

The creature within the thermos yelled out about not being ignored just as Clockwork exited from the room he had been occupying. The Spirit of Time gripped the thermos in his hand absently and sat it upside down. There was a gasp and a growl from the thermos, but the creature inside seemed to take the hint. Clockwork then turned to Danny who was pacing back and forth with the book opened in the palm of his hand.

Danny flipped through the pages of the huge tome until he came to the page about the spirit who had caught his attention. Before he started reading, he thumbed through the pages until he came to the end of the chapter.

"Wow, his chapter is short…"

Clockwork said nothing. Since Danny was obviously in no hurry to leave, he figured that he could at least occupy the boy with something, and since he lacked certain knowledge about spirits, he decided to let the boy read that particular book. Funny how he knew the book was on the first book shelf he went too, only for it to be on the last one in his back room. Someone really was messing with him.

"Wait, what?" asked Danny curiously, causing Clockwork to focus on him.

Danny was staring wide-eyed at Clockwork, and for a moment the Spirit of Time thought that Danny was reading the portion about him, but then he realized there was nothing incriminating to be read about…at least in that particular tome.

"You're not the Master of Time _and_ Space?" he asked. It was an innocent question, and one that should have been expected.

"No," stated Clockwork indifferently. "Just Time."

"Oh," said Danny, sounding slightly confused.

Clockwork watched as Danny returned to his reading.

"I sort of just assumed that since you always hear about Time and Space together that you were the master of both of them," mumbled Danny without looking back up.

Clockwork didn't answer. All this talk of space was making him uneasy. For a moment he watched the teen as he sat down on the floor with the book in his hands. Clockwork could tell that Danny wasn't exactly reading. Instead, he was looking over the pages in search of something.

Clockwork turned his gaze from the boy, and hovered back over to his crystal orbs. He tapped one and watched as it instantly showed Vlad Plasmius moping on top of an asteroid right when the giant asteroid composed of ectoranium (a substance that ghosts cannot touch) and dubbed as the 'Disasteroid', hurtled into it destroying the pathetic chunk of rock.

Clockwork knew that Vlad was still alive though. The man had hurtled into a small pocket of space which led into an area of the Ghost Zone that not many ghosts or spirits traversed. His ghost half managed to recover, and with no other real choice he made a domain for himself in that area. Of course, he made trips to the human world since he was half human like Danny, but he never stayed for too long. He couldn't stay thanks to his life being in ruins all because of his world domination stunt.

Clockwork waved his hand in front of the window again and a new scene appeared only it was unclear. Clockwork frowned. He had seen this scene many times before, but now that it was unclear he knew that it would be different. He knew that something wasn't right.

Vlad was hovering in front of something in his vampire-like ghost form. That's when the screen went blank causing Clockwork to hover backwards in surprise. Danny, who had been watching, stared at the Time Master before he decided to speak.

"What'd you see?"

"Vlad," answered Clockwork while rubbing his head.

Danny snorted.

"The fruit loop just doesn't know when to quit, huh?"

"He's just been keeping to himself; trying to salvage and make what's left of his life better."

"Mhm, well, serves him right," Danny muttered while the creature in the thermos snorted.

Clockwork waved his staff once more in front of the same time window. Nothing happened. Clockwork tried once more, but the results were the same. He shook his head and decided to view something else. Turning to another orb, he tapped it and waved his staff in front of it.

Fourteen year old Danny Fenton stepped into his parents' ghost portal and turned it on from the inside. Waves upon waves of electricity and ectoplasm were sent through his entire being. He should have died, but instead he emerged from the portal as the second human/ghost hybrid in existence, at least in this millennium.

Clockwork waved his hand in front of the window again, and this time a fourteen year old Danny Phantom was flying out of the Ghost Zone with an army of ghosts trailing behind him. All of the ghosts were flying to an object that would project their powers of intangibility across the entire planet in order to let a giant asteroid made completely out of ectoranium fly harmlessly through it. Clockwork then waved his hand in front of the window again and a new scene appeared.

Seventeen year old Danny Phantom was standing in front of Clockwork's tower debating over whether or not he should go inside. He finally decided to do it, but when he tried to enter, something stepped out of the tower. Clockwork could tell that it wasn't he who left his tower, but that was all he could see because the interference shut down his time window.

"Curses," snapped Clockwork, causing Danny to cover his mouth.

"Curses?" he questioned, amused, though Clockwork ignored him.

Clockwork began to fly around his tower, uncertainty evident in his eyes. Danny, on the other hand, continued to skim over the pages in the book that he had found so interesting. That's when something caught his attention, and he just knew that he had to voice it.

"Those black holes that the Observants went through…you don't think the actual Space Spirit did it, do you? The book says that he's more than capable of making something like that, and—"

"No."

"No?"

Clockwork shook his head, though he had been thinking along those lines ever since the Observants had been hesitating to tell him what he _needed_ to know. Danny wasn't sure how to take that considering that he was more than sure that this Space Manipulator had something to do with it.

"But why not? I mean, the book calls him the Master of Space, so it's possible right?"

"Possible? Yes. Likely? No."

"Clockwork look, today I've realized that _anything_ is possible. We have to at least check this out!"

"I…suppose you are correct."

"I have my moments."

Clockwork twirled his staff absently, thinking of how he should go about this. Danny closed the book and put it on the podium next to the Fenton Thermos. Then, just for kicks, he flipped the thermos back over. The creature inside hissed at the unexpectedness of it, but that was it. Danny then turned back to Clockwork and frowned at something.

"Hey, how come you weren't at full power?"

Clockwork looked at Danny blankly, and the Ghost Teen waved his hands in front of him defensively.

"Okay, never mind. I can tell that you don't wanna talk about it."

Clockwork hovered towards the door, and Danny followed after him. He wasn't sure where they were going, but he was fifty percent sure that everything would be fine.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **Hey guys, I just wanna say thank you to those of you who are following this story. I can promise you that this one will not stop like the other one. How can I guarantee that, you ask? Simple. This story flowed together so nicely that it's all typed out and ready to be uploaded. Of course I'm not going to upload it all at once though. That would be too nice, and I am cruel by nature. Has anybody noticed a pattern with the titles of each chapter? :D Anyway; how about those reviews?

**Guest: "He's Clockwork's twin. (Twinning!)"**

Either you follow me on Deviantart, or you have the ability to see the future! That's cheating.

...Clockwork taught you well.

**Guest: "This is really good so far. :D Keep it up! XD Will there be more of this?"**

Thank you! I'm glad you approve of the story so far. I hope that you will continue to enjoy it.

Yes, there will be more. All in all there will be fourteen chapters.

**DannyPhantom619: "I'm pissed, how could Danny have a hard time with the box should have it where Danny starts training with Clockwork and he gets 50 times stronger than all of his beats the $#*^ out of Skulker,Kitty, Ember and Johnny for laughing at him."**

You're pissed? Just imagine how Danny was feeling. I mean the Box Ghost is the last person who should give him trouble, and that's exactly why I gave Box Ghost his time in the sun. That idea actually spawned from the episode "Boxed Up Fury". It's always fun to see Danny get blindsided by weaker enemies. I actually wanted to have this scene with the character 'Klemper' but even I'm not that cruel.

**Thank you all for your reviews, and his the next chapter! Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter Three: Disheartening Decisions

Clockwork flew out into the open space outside of his tower, trying to pinpoint a certain interval. It didn't take him very long to spot it, and when he did he waved Danny over. Danny floated over to the Time Spirit and watched as Clockwork flew forward. Danny just watched him curiously. There was nothing there but dark green blotches and an emerald green haze which completely made up the Ghost Zone. When Clockwork disappeared from sight, however, Danny looked around. Clockwork didn't turn invisible, did he? There was no reason to.

"Clockwork?" Danny called out while floating towards the spot where Clockwork had disappeared from.

The moment Danny floated in that specific area, Danny felt something pull at him until he found himself being suck in, like the Fenton Thermos. Once the feeling of endless spinning faded, and his vision stopped whirling around like he was in some sort of cyclone, he noticed that Clockwork was once again in front of him.

"Argh, what was that?" moaned the teenaged Halfa as he lifted a hand to his head.

"The entrance to the Realm Beyond Time."

"The Realm Beyond Time?"

"Yes, this portion of the Ghost Zone was in existence long before the concept of space and time."

"Whoa, but how's that possible? A lot of books back home say that space and time were practically created at the same time. You know, they coexist. If that's true then…how could this _space_ exist beyond _time_?"

Clockwork chuckled and started flying once again. Danny, who found it odd, just followed the Time Spirit.

"You ask many good questions, Danny. That is one of them. Everything has to come from somewhere, even time and space. The Ancients, a race of omnipotent beings, existed in this _space_ along with the Observants. This _space_ was just one vast area with no sense of, well, anything. This caused the beings who resided there to become restless and bitter towards one another until finally there was an inevitable clash."

Clockwork pointed out several floating islands that Danny had never seen before, although he had seen similar ones in the…main part of the Ghost Zone, he guessed would be accurate.

"This clash resulted in what you refer to as 'The Big Bang', an accurate title, I admit."

"Wait, wait, wait. That's how the Big Bang was created?"

"Yes. It was with this 'Big Bang' that caused _time_ and _space_ to come into existence."

"Wow…"

Clockwork rolled his eyes as he made a sharp left behind one of the floating islands. Despite the unexpected turn, Danny managed to keep up with the Master of Time.

"That only makes me wonder how the Ancients and Observants were created…" stated Danny while making sure he stayed with Clockwork just in case there were any more sharp turns.

"I believe that the Ancients have always been around, but I believe that the Observants were created from them."

"Why do you believe that?"

"I've heard plenty of things that would lead me to believe so."

Clockwork flew beneath an archway which led to what appeared to be an actual ghost town. There were a few Observants there, and spirits that Danny had never seen before, although he was sure he recognized a few of them from books that his goth girlfriend Sam had and even some books that belonged to his sister.

Some of the spirits and Observants watched as the teen and Time Master sped through their town, Clockwork's spectral trail causing talk among the creatures. Others just went about their business like this was some normal routine though it was clear that they were nervous. Danny wasn't paying attention to all that due to being unable to clear his head. Clockwork had just confirmed that the Big Bang theory was more than just a theory after all, and he was pretty sure that he had learned how Clockwork had come into existence or, in other words, how Clockwork was born.

Clockwork, unaware of what was going on through Danny's mind, was focused on getting to a certain area of the Observants' territory. He hadn't noticed when he gripped his staff tightly, nor did he notice that he had sped up during his history lesson with Danny, but he did notice the throbbing of his spiritual core.

"So that makes you a twin?"

"Parden?" questioned Clockwork who hadn't exactly heard Danny's question in its entirety.

Danny was wearing a thoughtful expression as he continued to fly after the Master of Time.

"It makes sense. _Time_ and _Space_ came into existence together which means you and the Master of Space are twins. I guess I understand why you said that the Space Spirit couldn't be behind this. He's family."

Clockwork said nothing as he dove downward, effectively catching Danny off guard. Danny stopped himself in mid-air before backtracking to where he saw Clockwork take a nosedive. He flew quickly to catch up with the Time Spirit who hadn't even stopped.

"Geez Clockwork, can ya warn a guy when you're about to do that?" yelled Danny who was looking very annoyed.

Clockwork turned to face the Ghost Teen, his expression nothing but serious. Danny found it very unnerving considering that Clockwork usually smiled, at least at him whether it was sarcastic or knowing.

"Clockwork?"

"Try not to straggle, Danny."

With those words, Clockwork turned back around and continued on his way. Danny glared heatedly at Clockwork, unsure of what to make of this new attitude. What was going on through that hooded head of Clockwork's? Danny wasn't sure, but he had a feeling he knew what the subject was.

"How come you never mentioned having a brother?"

"There was no need."

"Well, now I'm curious and I wanna know."

Clockwork said nothing as he flew past a familiar looking rock formation. Danny, on the other hand, flew into it because he had been focused on the Master of Time.

"Oof," he wheezed as he gripped his stomach.

Clockwork stopped, a bit of annoyance evident in the glare he was shooting the teenager. Danny ignored the Time Master, and instead focused his attention on the formation he had blindly crashed into. It wasn't exactly island material, but one of the rocks was big enough for a door to be positioned on. In fact, the rock did have a very elegant and very familiar door on it. Danny, who had obviously not learned his lesson about opening doors to other ghosts' domains, reached for the knob.

"Danny, we have other things to do. Let's proceed."

Danny had already gripped the doorknob and had turned it when Clockwork spoke. Danny turned back to the Time Spirit with an annoyed look of his own.

"It's Vlad's door. I mean, it's his actual door!"

Clockwork didn't seem too surprised because he already knew that specific door belonged to Vlad. Now, what Danny said wasn't exactly true. The door wasn't Vlad's _actualdoor_. Vlad's actual door was still back in Madison Wisconsin.

"Like I said, Vlad has a domain in the Ghost Zone. You have one as well; you just haven't found it yet."

Danny seemed a tad surprised at the news, but the Master of Time did not want to dwell. Danny released his grip on the doorknob and began to fly to Clockwork's side. Clockwork gave a slight nod to Danny before he took off once more. He didn't fly as quickly as before, but only because he wanted to keep an eye on the teenager.

"Clockwork, I wasn't kidding. I really do wanna know about you and your brother."

"There is nothing you need to know."

"Well, that book you gave me didn't say anything about him being related to you. In fact, it didn't even have a name! It just said _Master of Space_ or _Spatial Manipulator_!"

"You mean it just gave you relevant information?"

Clockwork couldn't help the small smile that formed when he saw Danny's annoyance with him.

"You intentionally gave me that book because of the lack of information in it!"

"No, I gave you the most informative book I could find that had accurate details of the different spirits that we might encounter. However, I hadn't expected you to actually go through the tome as you did."

"You're slipping Clockwork."

"No, I am just facing, as you say, technical difficulties."

Danny shook his head. Any other time he would have been amused at the Time Spirit's little quips, but now was different. Something was going down, and he wanted to help. He couldn't help if he didn't know what was going on. He had a hunch that the Spatial Manipulator was behind this, but the fact that this Spatial Spirit was Clockwork's brother…twin no less, made everything much more difficult, especially if Clockwork wouldn't share what he knew with the rest of the class.

"Whatever," was Danny's annoyed reply.

* * *

It had taken about an hour for Danny and Clockwork to come to the area that they were looking for, but it took another hour to find what it was that they had been searching for.

"That's it?" muttered Danny bitterly.

His failed attempts to get Clockwork to speak about his twin brother had undesirable effects on his attitude, but the Time Master hadn't expressed his aggravation out loud.

"Yes," stated Clockwork simply, a slight frown tugging on his lips.

"So this floating door…is what we've spent forever looking for?"

"It took us precisely two hours, five minutes, twenty-eight seconds, fifteen—"

"It does not **matter**! Just what are we doing here, CW?"

Clockwork floated to the door before he placed his hand on it only to yank it away as smoke wafted from his appendage. He hissed at the pain while waving his smoking hand back and forth to relieve the burn.

"Are you alright?" Danny asked, his concern overshadowing his immediate anger.

"I was afraid of that. I won't be able to get past this door without some assistance."

"Why?"

Clockwork didn't answer. Instead he began to look around. There was no-one around that he could ask to help other than Danny, but would Danny really be able to help him get inside?

"There's no knob," observed Danny as he gently prodded the door to see if it was still hot.

The moment Danny's hand touched the door, the door pulsed a bright neon orange color. Danny and Clockwork both hovered backwards, unsure of what to make of the pulsing. Feeling daring, Danny hovered forward and called forth his cryokinesis or _Phantom Phreeze _into both hands. He placed his hands on the door, surprised when the door didn't burn through the ice. Clockwork watched silently from where he stood.

He knew the door had many precautions since it was designed to keep unauthorized ghosts and spirits, him especially, from entering. Of course, there were many flaws to the door's designs, but only because new creatures were formed every millennia or so. Daniel and Vladimir were two prime examples of that.

Clockwork's facial expression turned into a deep scowl. Vlad's domain was nearby which had always struck him as odd considering where it was located. With that being said, Clockwork had never seen the Halfa tamper with this particular door when watching the older Halfa's multiple time lines. No, Vlad was never destined to come in contact with the spirit that lived behind that rectangular barricade, but what if…what if he had?

"Hey Clockwork, check this out! I opened it!"

Clockwork snapped out of his thoughts to look towards Danny. Much to his surprise, the boy had indeed been able to open the door. Danny was just about to fly in, but Clockwork waved his hand at the teen, causing the boy to instantly pause. Clockwork flew beside Danny, and then stood in front of the door's opening before letting the boy resume what he was doing. Of course that meant that Danny had almost flown into Clockwork, but he had caught himself at the last second.

"Whoa, wait, what?"' asked Danny, clearly confused about how Clockwork had gone from where he had been perched to blocking the entrance before realizing what the Master of Time had done.

"Allow me to go first. We do not know what is behind this door."

"You're right. _We_ do not know what's behind this door, but clearly _you _do. Even so, I'm the one who opened the door, so _I_ should get to go in first. Besides, you're apparently not allowed in here. Those are two really good reasons as to why I should go in first, and if you don't like it that's tough."

Danny tried to float passed Clockwork, but Clockwork moved in front of the boy. Danny, having been fed up with the Time Spirit for over two hours now, didn't take too kindly to that and charged up an ecto-blast only for it to fizzle out, not that he noticed.

"I get that you're completely out of your element. I mean, someone's messing with the time streams and your **attitude**, but I'm only trying to help! What if you go in there, and security or whatever tries to waste you! I mean, you're the Master of Time! That makes you really important. If something happens to you, then what?"

"Danny—"

"**NO**! I'm gonna go in whether you like it or not. Then, when this is over you and I are going to have a nice long talk because unlike you, I do **not** know everything!"

Clockwork was silenced by Danny's words. At the moment Clockwork could actually say that he didn't know everything either. Danny, who took the Time Spirit's silence as a victory, (who wouldn't?) slipped past the flabbergasted Master of Time and went into the room.

Danny tried to float into the room, but found himself unable to do so. His body was pulled unwillingly towards the ground. Knowing that meant he wasn't going to be flying anywhere, the teenager walked cautiously through the room while tugging at the collar of his HAZMAT suit. To him, the room felt incredibly hot. If it weren't for his cold ghostly core, he probably would have burned up. Even with his cold core, the article of clothing was more uncomfortable now than it was when he had first put it on. He hadn't thought that was possible, but alas here he was; the prime example of uncomfortable.

Danny had to occasionally wipe sweat from his brow and swat his hair from out of his face, so when he came to a narrow corridor that was giving off a cool breeze he couldn't wait to get to the other side. Danny took one step forward and instantly regretted it when he lost his footing.

Unable to fly back up, Danny screamed. Boiling hot lava, or more specifically, boiling hot ectoplasm that looked a lot like lava, was waiting below to swallow and burn him to a cinder. Suddenly, Danny's descent was halted, not that he knew that, and his actions were rewound until he regained his footing on the ground where he had been standing before he made the plunge.

Clockwork, who was completely shocked when Danny had started to fall, was even more shocked to see Danny returned to his spot before he took the plunge. Danny went to take a step forward, the very same step that would have spelled his doom, but Clockwork, who had rushed into the room, gripped him by his wrist.

"I do not think that walking onward would be a wise decision."

Danny looked at the Master of Time, who he hadn't noticed sprouted two legs, then looked at where he was about to step. A sinking feeling suddenly hit the Ghost Teen and made him take a step back.

"Déjà vu," muttered Danny as he wiped his sweaty locks of hair from his face.

Suddenly, without warning, Danny's body shifted from ghost to human, startling the teenager. His white hair turned to its natural raven locks, and his emerald green eyes reverted to their azure blues ones. His ghostly pale skin became flush with life; his cheeks a rosy red due to the heat. His shirt just happened to be black and long sleeved, but only because he had been with Sam earlier. She had wanted him to go to one of her poetry slams and insisted that he wore something that fit the occasion. His jeans had been torn in certain places such as the knees and one of his thighs, but his signature red and white converses remained.

"I DIDN'T DO THAT!" he screamed in a panic before he began to sway.

"Your ghost half, despite its frigid core, overheated and needs to cool off a bit," stated Clockwork, though it was nothing more than a bluff.

Clockwork honestly had no idea what was happening, but he couldn't bring himself to suggest going back despite the dangers it put Danny in. Danny just nodded at the explanation, though he was sure that Clockwork wasn't being honest with him. Clockwork looked down the corridor while ignoring the intense heat that he was also feeling. Something about the floor had caught his attention.

"If only I could get to the other side where I felt that breeze. This heat is killing me," muttered the half ghost teenager.

Just like that, the intense heat let up causing Clockwork to look around in confusion. Danny, on the other hand smiled while simultaneously using his cryokinetic powers to cool off a bit, though there was a slight strain in accessing them.

"Much better," he muttered while Clockwork walked forward.

As he did, the floor lit up with that strange neon orange color that the door had taken on when he tried to touch it. Clockwork immediately halted and hastily stepped back towards Danny. Danny just watched as the glow slowly began to vanish as though it was cooling down.

"What is that hot orange stuff?" he asked as he took a step forward.

"Unpleasant," replied Clockwork who couldn't hide his aggravation.

Danny rolled his eyes before he took a step forward. Clockwork was at the ready in case Danny went falling again, but it didn't seem to be necessary. The moment Danny started walking the floor began to flicker before deciding that Danny wasn't a threat. Clockwork, on a hunch, immediately followed after the teen. To his surprise, the floor started to glow orange, but it didn't hurt him.

"It doesn't know how to respond to humans, just unwanted specters."

"So if I stay human, we'll be fine?"

Clockwork wasn't entirely sure, but that sounded plausible. The Spirit of Time snorted to himself. He really needed to speak with the Observants about upping their security. Then again, perhaps he didn't. If he and Danny were going through so much trouble, then perhaps there was no point in being here. No-one could get in here aside from an Observant, and even then there were necessary steps one was supposed to take when coming in contact with this specific door.

Clockwork stopped walking momentarily as a new thought wafted into his head. If the Observants were the only ones who could open the door, then how was Danny able to get inside? The two walked down the corridor in silence, but only because Clockwork was thinking to himself and Danny was relishing in the gentle breeze that was coming from another room. Moments later, Danny's astounded voice rang out throughout the corridor.

"Oh…oh whoa this is AWESOME!"

Clockwork looked towards Danny due to his outburst and spotted what had the teenager sounding like a giddy little school girl. This particular room was modeled after the entire solar system. Clockwork smiled a bit , remembering that it was Danny's dream to become an astronaut, but then his expression reverted back to his typical neutral façade when he saw another door further into the room.

"Wow, this is just too awesome. Clockwork, what is this place? Is this like my domain or something, cause if so then this is way too much. I mean, sure I like my privacy but—"

"This is a prison."

Danny stopped and looked at Clockwork. The Spirit of Time's voice had been a tad cold. Clockwork ignored the blank stare that he had received from Danny who was no doubt wanting answers. Clockwork merely walked towards the door that he had spotted.

"A prison?" Danny repeated after a moment's hesitation.

Danny followed the Master of Time into the new room, not really expecting an answer since he hadn't been having much luck with getting anything useful from Clockwork during the entirety of the trip...well, other than a few things that cleared up the whole Big Bang thing.

"Yes, a—" Clockwork cut himself off abruptly when he saw the sight that this particular room was in.

His eyes darted around the room hastily, taking in everything that he could see. There was green ectoplasm glowing on the floor, and Clockwork instantly felt himself get a tad weaker by being so close to it. He walked back out the door, though Danny had managed to wiggle his way into the room.

"Whoa, what happened here, prison break?"

Clockwork couldn't say anything. His eyes were wide and if he had pupils they would have most likely been dilated. He dropped his staff which caused Danny to jump and turn to face him.

"Clockwork?"

"We must leave. I have something that I must do."

Clockwork picked up his staff and twirled it until it was indiscernible. The staff began to glow and suddenly a minute hand and hour hand appeared, spinning clockwise until they both reached twelve. Immediately afterward, the hour and minute hands disappeared to be replaced by a swirling sky blue colored portal back to Clockwork's Tower.

"Why didn't you do that to get us in here?"

"Because that is obviously not how it works," snapped Clockwork as he grabbed Danny and shoved him through the portal. Clockwork immediately followed in after him.

* * *

Danny had managed to change back into his Phantom persona when they got back to Clockwork's tower. He had also managed to hold back his anger at the abrupt departure that he had been forced to make with Clockwork. He had grabbed the tome that Clockwork had given him, almost knocking over the Fenton Thermos that had been beside it, in hopes of keeping his anger under wraps. He knew that Clockwork was clearly having _one of those days_.

Danny opened the book back to the pages that he had been skimming over, intent on actually reading part if not all of the chapter. Since the Spatial Manipulator was Clockworks brother, twin no less, he wanted to know anything and everything he could.

Clockwork, on the other hand, had ignored the teenager altogether. He was in no way frightened, but instead severely upset and conflicted. The Master of Space was roaming around free. Part of him wanted to be happy that his brother had managed to escape the prison he was in, but another part of him knew that his brother had been locked away because of his undisciplined behavior. If he had been left unchecked, the balance of things would have become completely uneven, and would've resulted in major catastrophes, more so than the ones he had already caused. His incarceration had been for the best.

Clockwork floated about his lair in hopes of clearing his mind. He felt angry because the Observants had made him choose sides, he felt guilty because he had aided in putting away his brother, and yes even a tad bit happy because his brother was free, but he knew that in the end things could not be this way. Not unless his brother chose to change for the better. Clockwork slammed his hands down on the podium that Danny had been near. It was also the same podium that housed the Fenton Thermos.

"HEY!" yelled the creature within the thermos and Danny who had actually started drifting off.

Clockwork looked at Danny who was in turn looking at the thermos. Eventually Danny turned his gaze back to the Master of Time and once again saw the emotions that Clockwork was unable to hide. Danny sighed, his hero mode kicking in. He had to get Clockwork to open up somehow.

"I wanna know the truth, Clockwork. You said we were in a prison. Who's prison?"

Danny already had an idea, but he wanted to hear things from the Time Spirit. Clockwork sighed. He knew very well that he was going to need Danny's help. That was made evident when they entered the aforementioned prison.

_'The first time we met face to face, I had been tasked with eliminating him. Instead I made the choice to help him prevent his dark future. Due to this, I am tasked with being his keeper as well as the Master of Time. I've watched Danny long enough to realize that there is at least one true constant in the boy's life, and that is his need to help. If I don't let him…he'd go off on his own to help me anyway he thought he could_,' thought Clockwork sullenly.

If Danny were to help, then he would need information. It was the same thing that Clockwork had demanded to the Observants when they had visited him earlier.

"My brother's," stated Clockwork indifferently, or at least he tried to.

Danny and the creature in the thermos both picked up on it. The creature in the thermos laughed causing Clockwork to gaze at the glorified soup container.

"You have a brother in prison? Sounds like my kind of guy."

Clockwork and Danny ignored the creature in the thermos, but not before Clockwork turned the item upside down.

"He is known as the Master of Space."

"The Master of Time and The Master of Space; how original," snorted the creature within the thermos.

"Yes, and so is Dan Phantom," stated Clockwork, annoyed.

Dan Phantom, the creature inside of the thermos, sneered. His name was very original. It was comprised of the name of the person that he used to be. Dan Phantom was the combination of Vlad's ghost half and Danny's ghost half from an alternate future that would never be. He could have named himself Dan Plasmius, but he retained more things from Danny than the fruit loop, like common sense, so Dan Phantom was his chosen moniker.

"He and I were created the same day, though I came into existence a few seconds before him."

"Which makes you older," chortled Dan who had decided that he wanted to hear about this.

Clockwork paid Dan no mind, though the urge to shake up the thermos was strong. Danny was sitting on the floor contemplating over what he was hearing. Dan's chortling grew into full on laughter when something else came to mind.

"He's your **evil** twin! That is so clichéd!"

Dan laughed harder while Danny tried to keep a smile from tugging at his lips. He knew that Dan was his evil self and that he shouldn't have found anything the monster said funny, but the truth was that Clockwork had a younger brother who was his twin, and who was also, from what it sounded like, evil.

Clockwork showed his teeth, indicating just how much tolerance he had left, before he picked up the thermos and tossed it in the air a few times, making Dan shout in protest. Danny's urge to smile instantly vanished when he realized that this was really bothering Clockwork, deeper than he could have imagined. Clockwork usually portrayed no emotion. He was, from what Danny could comprehend, supposed to be indifferent. It made sense considering Clockwork's occupation. He couldn't play favorites, otherwise he would tamper and possibly destroy the thing that he was destined to command i.e. the time streams.

Of course, Clockwork had broken his façade the first time Danny had encountered him, and that in turn earned Danny a mentor, ally, and real ghostly friend, not to mention a few freebies that ended up turning into important life lessons such as, "things happen for a reason" or "the future is not always set in stone".

Danny watched as Clockwork caught the thermos one last time before he glared at it, not that Dan could see him doing it.

"He's not evil, exactly," hissed Clockwork before he finally placed the thermos back on the table, albeit on its side.

"He just doesn't feel that we should limit ourselves in order to please others, mainly the Observants."

"In other words," started Dan.

"He doesn't like the Observants's rules," finished Danny who received a nod from Clockwork.

"He and I were inseparable. We controlled time and space as a singular unit. Of course, like many other ghosts or spirits, we excelled in certain powers that the other did not. For me, it was my manipulation of time. I can control space just enough to create small rifts which I use as a portal to and from anywhere in time."

"That means that your brother's manipulation of space is…" Danny stopped, unsure how to phrase what he wanted to say.

"Ridiculous," finished Dan.

"Indeed. Like myself, he can also manipulate time, but not on the same level that I can. Of course, with his spatial powers, he could cause a lot of damage. He can create stronger rifts in space which he can use to traverse the world and time lines with almost no limit. He just needs to know when and where it is he is going."

Danny and Dan were both silenced while Clockwork began to look sadly around his tower.

"As I said, the two of us were inseparable. Together our powers were bordering on omnipotent. With my ability to control time at will, and his ability to control space at will, we were a very terrifying duo. I didn't like that. I knew that our powers scared the inhabitants of not only the Ghost Zone but the Human Zone as well. It was my idea to suppress our powers. Of course, my brother didn't like that. He felt that we shouldn't have had to stoop to weakening ourselves because, as he put it, lesser beings didn't like the magic we made."

"Your brother sounds fun, Clock-y," laughed Dan, already having a picture of Clockwork's evil twin in mind.

"So what did he do to get locked away, Clockwork?" asked Danny, immediately halting whatever it was Clockwork was about to do to the thermos with his death glare.

"We had been out, enjoying ourselves, which is hard to do when you're living with the Observants."

"Wait," laughed Dan who was enjoying himself a lot more than he had in the past couple of years, "You actually lived with those _idiot_ Observants?"

Danny couldn't help but snort. He couldn't believe that Clockwork lived with them either, but that did explain some things.

"They were our guardians; tasked with watching over the two of us to make sure that we learned to use our powers for things that were just and to make sure we never got out of hand."

Dan quieted down. He had to admit that this was very intriguing and he wanted to know more.

"The two of us had been using our powers to create order throughout the Ghost and Human Zones. You see, after the 'Big Bang', it took a lot of time to get things orderly. Space, as in, Outer Space, had to be organized because different sized stars and planets were on collision courses, asteroids were haphazardly flying around with no sense of direction, and everything was just one giant mess. My brother took care of that. He positioned stars and planets accordingly. Asteroids that were too troublesome were placed in positions around different planets in order to form 'rings' or 'moons'."

Danny's eyes grew wide. So the Master of Space was the reason why their galaxy and constellations were so…beautiful and interesting.

"I, on the other hand, was tasked with the timing of everything since I had the ability to foresee what was to come. I saw dinosaurs and cavemen before they came into existence. I saw the life and death of the ghosts that currently plague this world and yours. I even saw the exact moment when you and Vlad became Halfas, trillions of years before you even existed. That meant, that I had to find a suitable way to track these events."

"That must have been hard," muttered Danny, trying to think of everything logically. He realized then that he may have had to throw all logic out the window.

"It would have been if it weren't for my brother. He gave me the idea of using one of the rotating planets, to calculate a day. He gave me a starting point and I counted."

"Wait, you counted?"

"Yes."

The thermos rolled slightly, before Clockwork noticed and turned it upright on the table.

"So you mean to tell me that you counted until the planet came full circle?"

"Indeed. One full circle came up to eighty-six thousand four hundred, as you call them, seconds."

Danny gawked at Clockwork who gave the teen a knowing smile before he started up again.

"The Observants found it difficult to tell time with only seconds though, considering how quickly they went by. I devised an easier way to keep track of them though. For every sixty seconds, a 'minute' was created. For every sixty 'minutes', an 'hour' was created."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," stated Dan, obvious disbelief in his voice. "You mean to tell me that you came up with that? If that's the case, then why are there so many variations of time?"

"Because different cultures believed in different things. Besides, my brother and I could not interfere with the growth of the Human or Ghost Worlds aside from creating this, that and the other. Of course, that didn't mean we didn't drop hints. The Mayans were closer though."

"So cool. Wait 'til I tell the guys."

Clockwork looked to Danny and the thermos before he sighed. He began to wind the clock that was on the base of his staff which Danny now concluded was a habit for the Master of Time similar to the way someone would tap their feet.

"Anyway, the two of us were supposed to create a world separate from humans because they feared us; all of us. Our appearance, our powers…it was the only way for us to really keep the balance. Of course, my brother was the only one who could pull off something so big…"

_Clockwork chased his brother through the hazy blue-green sky of the planet that would be later dubbed Earth. The two of them had flown away from their keepers, one to keep his anger in check and the other to make sure that no damage would come of his brother's temper._

"_It's a good idea. I don't see why you're so upset," started Clockwork, in hopes of getting his younger brother to speak with him._

"_Of course you don't! You're such a slave. You'd so easily let the Observants take what's rightfully yours, but I would rather be eradicated from Existence!"_

_Clockwork stared at his brother, disbelief evident in his eyes._

"_It is not that serious. Why in Existence would you say such a thing?"_

"_Because, CK*, we shouldn't have to hide who we really are, how much power we really have. People should accept us for what we are just as we accept them for what they are; weak and spineless. They're powerless and that's why the fear us. Clockwork, they fear us because they do not understand the powers that we possess. Just because they are ignorant of us does not mean I will weaken myself."_

"_It's not such a big deal. We'll still have our powers, they'll just be half as strong. Besides, we'll have our own realm to boot."_

"_That's another thing! The Ancients are supposed to be all powerful. Why aren't they doing all of this? Why is everything left up to us?!"_

_Clockwork frowned. He didn't like where this rant was going. He had heard it many times over, and it was a bit of a taboo subject._

"_We need to practice control of our unique powers, that's why. Now let's just stop before things go crazy. All we have to do is make a realm for our kind and a barrier to isolate ourselves from the humans."_

"My brother did as he was told, but…with a catch. Instead of making two separate realms, he made multiple realms; individual places for different creatures. An example would be the Bermuda Triangle in the Human Zone."

Dan snorted. That didn't sound so terrible.

"What was so bad about that," asked Dan with humor in his voice. Somehow he was sure he knew the answer.

"It made things much harder to monitor, especially when the effects of such a move ripped Pangaea into separate landmasses creating the need for Time Zones."

Clockwork placed a hand on his forehead in an attempt to rub away a dull ache that he felt. Danny and Dan remained quiet, each one taking in every bit of information. Clockwork decided to continue.

"He also fused some of his powers into a parchment, creating what is called the Infi-Map."

Danny perked up at the mention of the Infi-Map.

"You're kidding me. Your brother made the Infi-Map?"

Clockwork nodded while Dan stayed silent. He knew what the Infi-Map was thanks to his fusion with Vlad, but he never laid his eyes or hands on it. It was supposed to be one of the most powerful artifacts in the Ghost Zone. It led the wielder of the map anywhere they wanted to go. Some said that it even led those worthy enough to their _destiny._

"The creation of the Infi-Map was seen as treason, one of the many different types of evidence that was stacked against my brother. The biggest act of treachery was the moment he threatened to reclaim everything he had played a part in creating. That would have effectively destroyed everything."

Danny covered his mouth. Clockwork's brother was willing to go that far just because he wanted to stay at full power? Just because he didn't want to lower his standards for anyone?

"The Observants, however, had a feeling that something like that would happen, so they had been siphoning not just my brother's powers, but mine as well. With the power they gathered, they could control space and time even if we were to no longer exist."

"A contingency plan against you and your twin? How elaborate," mocked Dan, though it was clear by his tone that he was slightly worried.

Danny remained quiet. It seemed that the Observants weren't very trusting of Clockwork and his brother because of their near invincible powers. It was smart to have a backup plan, but by the way Clockwork spoke of it, he hadn't known all of that at the time. It was only when his brother began to show his true colors did things begin to get out of hand.

"The Observants came to me and told me I had a choice. I would relinquish half of my powers without questions and assist them with the capture of my brother or I could suffer the same fate which was ultimately eradication."

Danny gulped while Dan snorted.

"So you obviously turned on your brother to save yourself," stated Dan, though his voice was cold and disapproving.

Danny eyed the thermos curiously only to come to the conclusion that Dan's fruit loop half was getting through. Betrayal had always seemed to be Vlad's strongest emotion. Danny's older sister Jasmine had always speculated that it was one out of two of Vlad's ghostly obsessions, and that it was also his strongest one aside from Maddie, their mother. It seemed that the Vlad side of Dan was clearly proving Jazz right.

"You betrayed your own brother," continued Dan, the venom evident in his accusatory tone.

"No, I saved him," argued Clockwork, his eyes rivaling Dan's own red ones when the monstrous future version of Danny was in full on _Kill Mode_.

"I saved him from his fate. I made a deal with the Observants. I would not only give up half of my powers and help them with the capture of my brother, but I would also remain under their watchful eye. I would help them keep the peace and I would help them with anything else that they would need, but only if they spared my brother. It was then that they got the Ancients involved."

_Clockwork was flying silently between the two Observants who were he and his brother's keepers as they made their way deeper into the Observants' territory. There were huge and small houses that resembled Pueblo and Aztec buildings. Further into this specific area was a huge Observatory where all Observants met up to discuss the fate of others, decisions that would effect the weight of the world, and in this instant, the fate of Clockwork's twin brother._

_The Observatory was made of some sort of reflective glass that allowed the Observants to look out, but no-one to look in. On the inside, the walls were high with a light green hue and windows at the very top of each wall. There was a door that led out into a long hallway. In this hallway were more doors, many were embedded into the walls while some were floating on either side of the hall except for one in particular. Each door had something different on the other side whether it was just used for storage or a passage to another realm. _

_Clockwork and the two Observants made their way inside this Observatory and continued onward through the halls until they came to a specific door. This door was in the very center of the hallway, which was wide enough to allow others to fly around it. The door was a deep violet color with a slight blue aura surrounding it. There was gold lining the top, bottom and sides of the door, but they didn't connect at the corners. In the very center of the door were golden symbols with a golden glow of their own. The symbols roughly translated into the word 'Ancients' which made Clockwork squirm. These were the beings that created him and his brother indirectly. These were, more or less, his parents. _

_The Observants looked to each other, then to Clockwork before they nudged him forward. The idea was his therefore he was the one who needed to speak with these Ancient beings. Clockwork, not exactly knowing what to do, raised his hand and did what he thought was appropriate. He knocked._

_The moment Clockwork's hand touched the door, the door pulsed and was immediately washed in its own blue aura before it swung open to allow him passage. Clockwork hesitated for a moment before he was nudged inside._

_The world around him was dark for a few moments before it began to dissipate. At first, he didn't see anything thanks to a sudden flash of golden light causing him to have to shield his eyes with his arm. When he lowered his arm, there was a being in a dark purple cloak which concealed its entire body leaving nothing visible. The dark purple cloak was similar to the one that Clockwork's brother was accustomed to except this one concealed the wearer's body completely._

"_Clockwork," spoke the being, its feminine voice giving away its sex._

_Clockwork nodded hesitantly before she began floating around him, examining him from top to bottom._

"_What is it that brings you here, child?"_

"_M-my brother."_

_The figure nodded once. _

"_We have heard of your brother's unruly behavior. He's become uncontrollable and irrational. The Observants wish to erase him from existence to preserve the natural order."_

"_But it will preserve nothing!" shouted Clockwork as he let his anger take hold of him. The female Ancient stood before him, not at all frightened by his outburst._

_In fact, the female was smiling beneath her robe. Clockwork never really let his emotions go. He kept them bottled up inside him, hiding how he truly felt. _

"_If my brother is destroyed, it will only be a matter of time before everything falls apart! They can siphon as much power from him as they can, but it will never be enough to hold everything together. Not only that, but space and time go hand in hand. Without my brother, I know not of what I would do!"_

_Clockwork took a breath before realizing that he had lashed out at a being so powerful that she could effectively rip him apart molecule by molecule. He floated there like a frightened child waiting for his punishment, but when nothing came he relaxed just a bit._

"_You are correct, Clockwork. You and your brother are very important. Erasing one or both of you would be catastrophic now that everything is in working order. Of course, if one of you goes off and causes problems…"_

"_I understand that which is why I suggest some sort of imprisonment. Take away his powers and put him somewhere that would allow his powers to be siphoned off while keeping him around."_

_Clockwork looked saddened at his own suggestion, but it was the only way to keep his brother from suffering a fate such as oblivion. The female Ancient watched Clockwork, while weighing the pros and cons. She knew what needed to be done, and she knew what was going to happen though Clockwork did not. She could see all the time lines whereas Clockwork could see a vast majority._

"_Alright, young one. I will agree to this, though you must be the one to weaken your brother, and you must be the one to aid the Observants with this prison. You must also make all the necessary precautions."_

_Clockwork looked stunned. The Observants had said that the Ancients weren't so easily convinced. Was there more to it than this?_

"_One of the precautions that must be taken, Clockwork, is your own interference."_

"_I'm sorry?" asked Clockwork, unsure of what this Ancient was speaking of._

"_I am afraid that if this plan of yours is to go forward, you must not be allowed to see your brother. You must not be allowed near your brother. Though you are a spirit, you still have what humans will call a heart. Your heart will no doubt cause pain when you see your brother being locked away. We cannot have you freeing him, now can we?"_

_Clockwork's facial expression fell hard, and his eyes dulled considerably. He placed his hand over where his throbbing ghostly core was and looked at the Ancient being in front of him._

"_What will I have to do?" asked Clockwork, his voice distant and cold. _

_The Ancient pitied the young Clockwork, but it needed to be done._

"_When you give up half of your powers, suggest that the Observants use a portion of it to lock your specific signature in your brother's prison. It will keep you and any other spirit or ghost weaker than you, aside from the Observants, out."_

_Clockwork nodded, then turned his back to the Ancient. He really wanted there to be another way, but he knew that there was nothing he could do. All was as it was supposed to be. _

_Clockwork left through the Ancient's door, unaware of the four other hooded figures who joined the first. They watched as the young Clockwork departed, then watched as he met up with the two Observants who had been waiting for him outside._

"That must have been harsh," stated Danny as Clockwork told him and inadvertently, Dan, what had happened.

Dan, who was also listening, felt some pity, at least towards Clockwork's twin.

"I did as I was told, and the Observants made my brother's prison. Of course, there was then the matter of getting my brother to give up half his powers and then imprisoning him…"

_Clockwork went back to the home that he shared with his brother. It was located in a pocket of space that the two of them created. His brother was waiting for him when he got there, the door wide open. Entering their shared home, Clockwork immediately spotted his brother playing with his Spatial Staff; twirling it like a baton. When he took in the sight of Clockwork, he immediately noticed that something was wrong._

"_You look as though you've been getting into trouble without me."_

"_No, I'd never get into trouble without you by my side," stated Clockwork as he rolled his eyes. Despite the playful attitude, it was clear that something was bothering the Time Spirit and his brother was planning on doing everything he could to make him spill the beans._

"_C'mon CK, you can tell me what's wrong, right? I mean, we're family after all."_

_Clockwork glanced at the ground before he nodded his head. Yes, they were indeed family. That's what made this entire situation harder. Clockwork, on a whim, decided that he would try to convince his younger brother to do the right thing and give up half his powers. If that were to happen, then this entire dilemma would be solved._

"_It's just that, I wish you would reconsider and let them lock away half of your powers. It's not a big deal. I did it."_

"_Forget it, Clock-y. I refuse to make myself weaker so those who mean nothing to me will have some peace of mind. Besides, we have our own world now, so what difference will it make?"_

"_It will make all the difference. We're too powerful, and we could cause so many problems. Remember what you did to Pangaea?"_

_Clockwork's brother chuckled at the reminder. Though it was an accident, breaking the world apart had been rather amusing. Clockwork shook his head, though he couldn't help but smile as well. The breaking apart of Pangaea had been a slow process, one which Clockwork managed to time. It was also what helped the world form into what it was today. Despite all that, and despite what Clockwork had seen in the future, it didn't make the Observants feel better about their powers. _

"_Listen, just think about it."_

"_No, Clockwork. What is the point of holding back my potential? What is the point of keeping myself down so that others can rise above me? You're modest CK. You're modest and naïve. No-one is going to care that your powers are under wraps. You're still powerful. You've still got abilities that no-one else possesses. You're still going to be feared or admired, so what is the point?"_

"_The POINT is taking necessary precautions to make sure another incident like the creation of the universe, the extinction of the dinosaurs, and the ripping apart of Pangaea doesn't happen again!"_

"_Oh PLEASE, Clockwork! Everything is as it's supposed to be! If it weren't, then the all mighty Ancients would bring their scarce posteriors down here, wipe out the problem and fix the mess. It hasn't happened yet, so clearly I'm not doing anything that I shouldn't be doing, and that's the end of it."_

_Clockwork watched his brother as he lowered his staff and began to float off towards his room. Thinking quickly, Clockwork gave chase and put his hand on his brother's shoulder._

"_Listen I didn't want to upset you. I only wanted to convince you in case something were to go wrong that could have been prevented. How about I make it up to you? I've been roaming around without the Observants following me around for a change, and I've found something that I think you'd enjoy."_

_Clockwork's brother gave him a skeptical look. Everyone knew that turnabout was fair play, but Clockwork letting the situation go this quickly was out of character. Still, Clockwork seemed genuinely apologetic._

"_You found a place that you'd think I'd like?"_

"_It's in the territory that's off limits."_

"_I thought you said you haven't been getting into trouble without me."_

"_You only get in trouble when you get caught. Are you in or not?"_

_Clockwork's brother debated on whether to go or not. He was still a little angry with the fact that Clockwork had once again brought up the power drainage thing, not to mention he knew for a fact that Clockwork had indeed given up half his powers a couple of days ago, but at the same time…Clockwork was still his brother and he'd still follow him around to the ends of the world. Their views may have been slightly different, but one thing was for sure; they were brothers and the best of friends._

_Clockwork led his brother to the place he had spoken about, deep within the Observants territory. Clockwork had been talking silently, telling his brother about what he had seen._

"_The entrance is just a simple door made from visions of the future."_

"_Visions of the future?"_

"_Doors made from wood."_

"_I still find that to be very odd, Clockwork. Doors are flat and wood from trees are round. How are humans, who are barely able to communicate with one another, going to make something so intricate out of wood and later on, metal? I find it hard to believe."_

"_You'll see," commented Clockwork with a roll of his eyes. Of course, he wasn't exactly sure if his brother would ever be able to see such a thing or not considering what was about to happen._

"_So Clockwork, how long until we reach this place?"_

"_It won't be long now. We just have to pass the Archway, and we're home free."_

_Clockwork's brother stopped, well aware that treading this deep in the Observants territory was not something that Clockwork would ever do alone unless he was summoned. A bit suspicious, Clockwork's brother placed his arms on his hips and waited for Clockwork to notice that he was no longer being followed. When Clockwork did notice, he quickly flew back to his twin, curious as to what the hold up was._

"_What's wrong?"_

"_Where are we really going?"_

"_I told you, we're going to somewhere that I know you'll find interesting."_

"_Because it has a floating door?"_

"_I-it's what's behind the door that I think you'll enjoy."_

"_Really?"_

"_Yes, really. Now come on. We don't want to get caught out here without our guardians, do we?"_

_Clockwork's brother would have remained suspicious if it weren't for Clockwork's reaction to being caught. Clockwork, like all stereotypically good children, was afraid of getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Clockwork glanced around nervously before he started to fly ahead with his brother following right behind him._

_Clockwork knew how he reacted to situations. He had been made fun of enough times by his brother to know all of his nervous twitches, hesitations and other things. That meant, he could utilize these nervous twitches into tricking his brother, something that he was not fond of in the least. With a sigh, Clockwork continued to lead his brother into this trap that he and the Observants put together. He knew that once everything was said and done with, his relationship with his brother would be destroyed, but that meant little to Clockwork because the only thing that truly mattered to the Master of Time was his brother's existence._

_Once the two spirits made it to the floating door, Clockwork hovered back some. His brother, however, floated around the door, taking in every scratch. Eventually he noticed that the door had no knob which meant that they couldn't get inside, yet Clockwork had told him that what was on the inside of the door was what they had come to see. _

"_How are we supposed to get inside of here, CK?"_

"_Did you trying pushing on the door?" asked Clockwork while looking around. His brother rolled his eyes at his brother's fear, unsure of how Clockwork managed to explore here by himself. There was something in the back of his mind telling him that this entire situation wasn't kosher, but Clockwork was his older brother and his best friend. Clockwork wouldn't do something to hurt him or betray him. Not in a million years._

_The moment Clockwork's brother pushed on the door, it opened and two pitched black hands reached out to grab him. Panicked, the Spatial Manipulator swung his staff which was then immediately grabbed at by a third hand, while one of the first two hands grabbed his left wrist. Growling, Clockwork's brother immediately shifted a space big enough to send his staff hurling through. He then yanked his arm away causing the entire left sleeve from his cloak to be completely ripped off all the way up to the shoulder. The first black hand then put a gold bracer around his wrist, effectively blocking access to half his power. The effects were not only immediate, but noticeable._

_Clockwork's brother turned back to face the Time Master himself. Clockwork, at that time, was standing in between their two guardians with his head lowered. His brother tried to scream for them; for Clockwork to do something, and it seemed that Clockwork had indeed wanted to, but the Observants stopped him from progressing further. _

_In a matter of moments, the screams ended, and the form of Clockwork's brother was gone behind the door that was to be his prison. It took Clockwork a moment to realize what he had done, but when he did, he rushed to the door and pushed on it, only for the door to immediately turn a bright neon orange color and burn his hands. He yanked them away instantly while his guardians took him away, back to what was left of he and his brother's home, but what he found was the current tower he would forever reside in; Clockwork's Tower._

Danny and Dan both remained silent, though it was clear that Danny was trying his hardest not to say something inconsiderate to Clockwork. It was obvious that the Master of Time did what he thought was best. Danny had to admit that being locked up did sound better than being sent to oblivion, but at the same time, did they really have to trick the Spatial Manipulator like that? Sure he didn't want to keep his powers at a certain amount, and sure accidents happen, but that's why people, ghosts, and spirits practiced right?

Dan, who was thinking almost the same thing could only let out an annoyed grunt. How could anyone be so stupid? Just because Clockwork was a little suck up didn't mean that everyone was going to just roll over and be obedient. If the guy didn't want to limit himself just so the world wouldn't fear him, he shouldn't have had to. It's not like the guy destroyed the world. Hell, he helped bring it order! Dan could only chuckle at the irony of it all. Here he was in a Fenton Thermos because he let loose with his powers regardless of what happened to anybody, and Clockwork's freaking brother was locked up, like him, for almost the same reason, though Dan was pretty sure Clockwork's twin did more good than bad, regardless of how horrendous the bad stuff was.

"Isn't it hilarious how your brother and I share so much in common? Is that why you kept me here under your watchful eye, Clockwork? You couldn't bare to see me erased from existence just like you couldn't bare to see your brother meet the same fate?"

"Shut up, Phantom," Danny stated in a threatening manner before he turned his attention to Clockwork.

Clockwork's expression indicated that he was thinking about what Dan had said. Had that been the reason he kept Dan around? He could have also tossed the thermos back into Dan's time stream before that reality was wiped from all existence. Instead, he held on to it and the Observants had warned him that Dan, as well as Danny, were both his responsibilities.

"Perhaps…" muttered Clockwork, much to Danny and Dan's surprise. Dan growled, not liking the idea of being anyone's replacement.

Danny, who realized that out of the entire time Clockwork was telling his story, he dropped no names. It was starting to get to the point where Danny was getting frustrated with his hero complex. His need to help everyone, even those who so clearly felt that they didn't need it, and probably honestly didn't really need it, was weighing heavily on his mood. With Clockwork, he was sure it was only a matter of time before he went crazy with all the secrets that were being kept. How was he supposed to help someone who deemed it necessary to not drop any names?

"Clockwork, what is your brother's name?"

"Quasar, the Master of Space."

Clockwork and Danny both tensed up at the sound of the newcomer's voice. Danny turned around quickly, his hands instantly ablaze with his signature green ecto-energy while Clockwork's red eyes widened in surprise at the sight of the individual before them.

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Here's a bonus chapter because I failed to upload anything on Valentine's Day due to the ice that prevented me from going to a place with internet service. If you haven't read chapter three (because it was posted directly before this one) then I suggest you go back or else you might find yourself lost. Enjoy, and don't say that I've never done anything for you guys. ;)

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Chapter Four: Renegades Return

Standing before Clockwork and Danny was none other than Vlad in his ghost form. Vlad didn't sound like his smug self, but he did sound a bit surprised. Vlad had been hiding invisibly in the shadows long enough to piece together enough information to figure out that the ghost he set free was none other than this spirit's brother. It made sense after all considering the two spirit's similarities. The only reason Vlad now knew that the other spirit was named Quasar was thanks to not only the staff that the Space Manipulator had in his possession, but also because of Skulker.

Years ago, when Vlad had first learned about Clockwork, he had sent Skulker out to find information. Of course, the fabled Clockwork was a legend to the Ghost Zone's self proclaimed Greatest Hunter, but he did as he was asked. There had been no relevant information about Clockwork, but Skulker did bring news of a spirit that controlled space. At the time, Vlad had thought the two spirits were both one and the same considering how time and space went hand in hand. The name for the Space Spirit, however, hadn't been Clockwork but Quasar. There hadn't been any pictures of the spirit but there had been a picture of the staffs. One being the one that Quasar had, and the other being the one that Clockwork held in his hand.

At first Vlad had theorized that the staff changed its appearance depending on whether it was being used to manipulate time or space. Now he knew that there were two spirits and two staffs, one for time and one for space.

Danny stepped forward, unsure of how to react to seeing Vlad after such a long period of time. He knew one thing was for certain; Vlad played a hand in letting Clockwork's brother, apparently named Quasar, free. Vlad turned his attention to Danny for only a moment before turning his gaze back to Clockwork who had snapped out of his shocked state just long enough to mask his real emotions.

"Vladimir Masters, I must admit I was not expecting this."

Clockwork began winding the top of his staff while examining the older Halfa in front of him. Danny, on the other hand, was still raring for a fight. How did Vlad even find this place? It was so well hidden that no-one could find it unless they knew the exact location.

"How'd you get here, fruit loop?"

"Really Daniel, we haven't seen each other in who knows how long, and the first thing you ask me is how I got here? No hello, no nice to see you, just curious to know how I got here, hm?"

"Oh, how rude of me. Hey there fruit loop, surprised you're not dead. How'd ya get here?"

Vlad frowned at Daniel's sarcasm and noted with interest the amount of power the boy now had. It was clear that Daniel had grown stronger over the course of Vlad's absence. Due to wandering around aimlessly and moping after his entry into the Ghost Zone, Vlad hadn't kept up with his training and knew more than anything that in his current state, he would be just about equal in strength with the boy.

"Simple child. You see, I asked for directions."

Daniel didn't take the bait that Vlad had thrown out to him; calling him a child was usually Vlad's way of goading Daniel into attacking. He knew better now.

"What, couldn't find the Infa-Map?"

Vlad was surprised. Daniel's comeback was clearly unexpected, and it showed considering he hadn't had a rebuttal for it. Daniel smiled triumphantly while Clockwork watched them both, still winding up his scepter.

"My brother sent you," stated Clockwork which caused Vlad to look his way.

"Indeed."

"I will not change your past, Vladimir."

"Yes, I was told you wouldn't do that. I am prepared to take matters into my own hands."

Vlad turned to Daniel and flung his hands upwards sending a blast of magenta colored ectoplasm towards the younger Halfa. Vlad was anticipating Danny to panic a bit and use his ecto-energy to immediately surround himself with a dome of ectoplasm working as a shield. Daniel did no such thing, but instead held out one hand, caught the blast, juggled it to his other hand and sent it right back at the older male. Vlad was so stunned that he barely had time to make a rectangular shield to block the attack.

His shock turned to annoyance when he recalled his first encounter with Daniel. Vlad had done the same thing with Daniel's attack. The aforementioned Halfa smiled confidently and winked at Vlad.

"That's so year one."

Vlad grit his teeth together. Again, it was the same thing that he had said to Daniel in their first encounter.

"Wretched child, I have more than twenty years of experience under my belt. You don't stand a chance!"

Vlad duplicated himself into three, but Daniel didn't seem to be too concerned. In fact, Daniel duplicated himself once, he and the clone both smiling at each other. Vlad was thrown by this confidence for only a moment before two of his duplicates flew towards Daniel while he and the last duplicate went for Clockwork.

Daniel took one of Vlad's duplicates while his own duplicate took the remaining one. Daniel smiled as he flew around Clockwork's Tower. This was definitely one way to relieve some of his pent up aggression. Clockwork had really annoyed him. Daniel turned in mid-air so that he was flying with his back towards the ground, watching Vlad's duplicate who was sneering at him.

"Man you're slow," he taunted as the duplicate fired a blast which Daniel turned intangible to avoid.

"My turn," he said as he pulled back his fist and threw out a blast of his own.

Unlike before, Daniel's blasts were much more accurate and weren't overflowing with unnecessary amounts of extra ectoplasm. They were much more contained and much more powerful. Vlad's clone hadn't realized this, and so when it created a shield to block the attack, it was in for a very painful surprise. The magenta color shield cracked upon impact and vanished while Daniel's energy kept going until it smashed into the duplicate's chest. With a startled and painful cry, the clone turned into spectral energy which merged back to the original. The merge relayed the duplicate's experience to the original who had momentarily stopped what he was doing to watched Daniel's duplicate defeat his own, only Daniel's duplicate had been throwing ice balls filled with explosive green ecto-energy inside it. Once the two out of three duplicates had been defeated, Daniel and his duplicate gave each other a high five before turning their attention to the remaining two targets.

Clockwork, who had clearly been shaken by Vlad's arrival was trying to compose himself. He had had a feeling that Vlad was involved, but he hadn't seen it in his time windows. It shouldn't have been possible for Clockwork to not have seen it, but not only had he not seen Vlad free his brother, but he had not seen this intrusion upon his home or the problems that it brought with it. Clockwork hadn't been aware of Vlad even being in his home until the Halfa made himself known. He should have been able to sense the man, but he hadn't. What could that have meant?

"Tell me, Vladimir, if you knew that I would not help you achieve your goals why did you come here? You are not a match for me."

"No, perhaps I am not, but I am an opportunistic man. If I see an opportunity, I will take it."

"You cannot pose a threat to Danny, yet you're willing to challenge me? I never pegged you for a fool, Vladimir."

"A fool, you say? How about we test that theory, Time Master?"

Clockwork narrowed his eyes. He was at full power. He knew very well that he had more than enough power to wipe Vladimir from existence and he was sure that Vladimir knew it too. So then…why was he here? Clockwork knew that Vladimir had a mental breakdown in space, but he had regained control of himself and had made a conscious decision to try starting over. That was why Vladimir had had the notion to search out Clockwork in the first place, but now it seemed that Vladimir was falling back into his old ways now that there was power just dangling inches from his fingertips.

Clockwork drew a blue circle in the air. Once the circle was complete, it filled with the same blue color and with his other hand, Clockwork thrust his palm against the energy and sent it towards Vladimir, only it hadn't phased him. Clockwork's eye twitched, but it was enough to cause Vladimir to grin before he, as nonchalantly as he could, flashed a purple/blue bracelet in Clockwork's face. That seemed to distract Clockwork long enough for Vladimir to counterattack. Though his attack was weaker than what it would have been had he been at full power, it was enough to knock Clockwork's staff from his hand. Inadvertently, the staff knocked into the podium that housed the Fenton Thermos, causing it to fall to the floor. The moment the thermos hit the floor, the locking mechanism in the cap shorted. Dan, who felt his power slowly returning, grinned at this realization. He was going to be free! He would wait though; bide his time until his powers were strong enough to cause some serious damage to those who had imprisoned him.

Vladimir, on the other hand, was moments away from reaching the scepter when the first of his duplicates returned to him, startling him with the sudden flurry of visions from the fight it had had with Danny. Vladimir, unable to believe it, turned to watch as his other duplicate turned into spectral energy and return to him. The Daniels then congratulated each other before they turned themselves on him. Vladimir grit his teeth together. He hadn't expected the slacker and son of Jack Fenton to become so much stronger in his absence. Heck, he hadn't expected to see Daniel until he had gotten what he wanted from the Time Master. He'd been surprised when he had heard Danny here in the first place.

"Perhaps a tactical retreat is in order. I have what I came for."

With a whirl of his cape, Vladimir disappeared in a haze of magenta smoke. Vladimir's last duplicate retrieved the scepter the moment Vladimir got distracted and made its escape considering the Time Scepter was priority one.

The two Danny's frowned before they merged into one. The one and only Danny began to look around at the mess that was left while he hovered lower and lower until his feet touched the ground. He noticed the Fenton Thermos on the floor and immediately picked it up. He then turned to Clockwork who was rubbing his injured wrist while looking discouraged.

"Clockwork?" asked Danny as he walked over towards the spirit in question.

He put the thermos on the podium and watched as Clockwork stared at the bright red mark that was forming on his ghostly skin. Clockwork then turned to face Danny with a worried expression on his face. Him, the Spirit of Time, was injured by Vlad of all people and to make matters worse he had been unable to stop him with his time manipulating powers, and there was also the problem with his stolen scepter…

Danny took note of the injury that Clockwork had sustained, not understanding how Vlad, who had been unable to hurt him, had managed to injure Clockwork. It was clear now more than ever that Clockwork would need his help, especially when Clockwork was looking as worried as he was now.

"What happened?" asked Danny, sounding concerned and a little angry that Vlad had injured his friend and managed to escape. "Why weren't you able to hurt Vlad?"

"My brother's interference…it would seem that…that Vlad…"

Clockwork was immediately cut off by the sounds of disembodied yelling. He immediately turned to face the two Observants who were, in fact, his guardians. Clockwork had never looked so angry. He pointed at each of them before lowering his finger so that it was pointing in front of where they were positioned. He fired a blast of basic ecto-energy at the ghosts. It was blue like ice, but hot like fire. The blast hit the ground in front of them creating a loud thunderous sound that drowned out everything else. The two Observants immediately tensed, but Clockwork did not care at the moment that they seemed frightened of him.

Clockwork turned his back to them and stormed off into another room while still holding his injured wrist. Danny turned to the two shocked Observants while Dan tried his hardest to listen for anything and everything that was happening.

"It would seem that we are too late in warning him," stated the first.

"Yes, it would seem so…"

"Wait, you two knew that Vlad was on his way?"

The two Observants looked to Danny, their eyeball for heads wide opened.

"Vlad? Vlad Plasmius?"

Danny nodded his head, but that made the situation worse. The two Observants started to panic.

"I knew it!" they both shouted in unison, causing Danny to take an undignified step back.

Clockwork peered out of the room he had gone in, and stared heatedly at the two Observants.

"Oh please, if I knew nothing then neither did the two of you, and if you came here to warn me of something and it wasn't Vlad, then what was it?"

The two Observants looked to Clockwork who was still nursing the red mark on his wrist, but watching them intently. They had actually wanted to thank him for saving their hide earlier, but they had been interrupted by a burst of energy that sent ripples through the entirety of the Ghost Zone.

"We are sure that…you know of…"

"That you know of the one we were…"

"Afraid to tell you…"

"Has broken free and…"

Clockwork grit his teeth before his eyes flared dangerously.

"I don't know why I saved you two," snapped Clockwork before he summed up what the Observants were trying to tell him. "Quasar is free, and Vlad is obviously working with him. Oh, and Vlad managed to steal my scepter."

The two Obsevants seemed to turn white at this information.

"Then we are doomed!" stated the first Observant.

"Doomed!" repeated the second.

"Annoying," snapped Clockwork.

Danny watched the exchange while Dan listened to it. If they thought that Clockwork's little brother was bad news, then wait until he broke out of the thermos. Dan chuckled though no-one paid him any mind. Instead, they focused on Clockwork. The Observants frowned at the time manipulating spirit. Never before had he displayed such…negative emotions towards them. Perhaps they should prepare…just in case Clockwork were to go rogue as well.

Danny stood between the Observants and Clockwork, trying to keep the tension in the room low since there was no way it was going anywhere considering most of it was coming from the resident of the tower.

"Okay look, I know this is looking bad now, but we can't fight each other. Clockwork, look, you need to focus. We have to stop Vlad before he makes it to your brother!"

"Chances are he has already arrived with his prize," stated Dan conversationally. "If he's working for Clock-y's little brother, then chances are he teleported to a rendezvous point and the Space Case made a portal for him. It's what I would do."

Clockwork let out a defeated sigh. No doubt that's exactly what had happened. Vlad was an opportunist and a planner and Quasar was a strategist and a spirit of action. Between the two of them, they could have planned something like this in no time, and with Vlad's ability to improvise on spot, it wouldn't have been that hard to counter Danny's assault while simultaneously leading Clockwork on, especially when Clockwork couldn't rely on his ability to see the flow of time as needed.

"It is what you would do, because part of you is Vlad," muttered Clockwork while rubbing his wrist.

"So what do we do now? Any idea where they would go?" questioned Danny, glad that they were at least analyzing the situation, though slightly annoyed with Dan's input.

Clockwork shook his head while the two Observants looked at each other for a split second, but it was enough for Clockwork to catch the brief exchange.

"Has keeping secrets taught you two nothing?" he asked, no longer sounding angry, but once again wearing his emotion blocking mask.

"Back when the two of you were younger, around the time you and Quasar were fighting over what was best to do about your powers-"

"Quasar had created another pocket in the Ghost Zone-"

"It was the reason why Atlantis sank."

Clockwork had known about the sinking of Atlantis, but he had never knew of the cause. Now he did, and he couldn't believe it. Clockwork deflated a little at the information before he closed his eyes and sighed. Atlantis was one of his favorite spots to visit.

"Its location is in the Realm of Infinity."

"The Realm of Infinity?" asked Danny, though Clockwork merely laughed.

It was so obvious that it was incredibly humorous. Clockwork's laughter startled not only Danny, but Dan and the Observants themselves.

"He always had a knack for making me laugh."

"Why is that funny, Clockwork?" asked Danny.

"Because he's finally cracked. Watching every aspect of time is bound to do that, and it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy," replied Dan innocently.

"Because that particular area of the Ghost Zone is where my brother and I came into existence. It is an area of the Ghost Zone where us in particular gain a very powerful boost because, in the Realm of Infinity, our powers are truly limitless."

"Limitless?" repeated Danny, slightly worried.

"Quite right," replied the second Observant while looking at the other.

"Because _Time and Space _manifested in that area, it is, as you call it, a hotspot. The area produces temporal and spatial energy which Clockwork and Quasar feed off of."

"Yes, and as long as Quasar and Clockwork exist, so will that realm."

"Or if enough of our power is siphoned," mumbled Clockwork, but the Observants tried their best to ignore him.

"So basically," started Danny while scratching the back of his head, "the two of you feed off that area and the area feeds off you, like a really weird circle of life thing?"

Clockwork nodded once before the Observants continued with what they were going to say.

"Anyway, that is where we believe he has set up shop since he has limited access to his powers, and he needs to recharge."

"That and…it would seem that the area before you get to the Infinite Realm has been set into motion."

"Life has been breathed into the surrounding area."

"Life," snorted Dan knowing good and well that this was a ghostly plane of existence; void of life.

Danny sat down, clearly confused. The Ghost Zone was much bigger and much more complex than he had originally thought. He had been pretty sure that he had mapped out the entirety of the Ghost Zone, but it was clear that he did not.

"If that's where Clockwork's scepter is, then that's where we have to go."

"I can't allow you to come with me this time."

"But Clockwork, I'm much stronger than Vlad! I can help! You just have to take care of your brother, and besides if your brother made something that makes Vladdie immune to you, then I'm sure you have something that can make me immune to him."

"That isn't-"

"I'm going with you, and that's that."

Clockwork closed his eyes before he drew a jagged blue circle in the air, and once he closed the circle the inside filled with the same light. Danny vaguely recalled seeing Clockwork do something similar when he fought Vlad. Before Danny could shout in protest, Clockwork thrust his hand into the energy and it completely submerged Danny in its glow. The glow intensified for only a second, but when it did the half ghost teenager was no longer standing there, but was instead standing outside of Fenton Works, his home in Amity Park.

Clockwork turned to face the Observants with a scowl on his face. He needed to know what he was about to get himself into, but he knew that no-one knew what was going to happen. The only thing he could do was confront the issue, and try to find out for himself. Again Clockwork drew a circle into the air, but instead of thrusting it forward, he hovered through the glowing blue portal while the Observants protested. It was too late to stop him once he was through the portal though because it had only been intended for one. It immediately closed behind him once he emerged on the other side.

Clockwork took his time looking at his surroundings. He had to get his bearings otherwise he'd get lost. It had been a long time since he had been in this realm, and though he had been created here, he didn't once consider staying in the place. Who could blame him? The area was darker than the normal part of the Ghost Zone, so dark in fact that it looked like it was black spotted with dark green energy swirling about. The ghostly island formations weren't their normal colors but instead a dark grey here. This place was surely what one would think they would see when they died.

Clockwork shook his head at the irony, and as he did so he spotted some ghostly plants out of the corner of his eyes. These plants looked every bit as dead as a dead plant should except for the ghostly glow it sported. It was a beige-yellow tint that outlined the plant just enough for one to make out its form. Clockwork floated over to it and plucked it from its resting place before holding it into the air. The flower immediately perked up at the touch, then slowly began to spring to life, it's petals turning a lively shade of violet while the stem turned a denim blue. Clockwork placed the flower back where he plucked it and watched as the other plants began to prosper.

The Master of Time began to follow the trail of flowers. He hadn't known about his brother's hideaway in the Infinite Realm therefore he had no idea where it was, but his ghostly core knew exactly what to do and where to go.

* * *

Vlad hopped through the portal with the Time Master's scepter in hand, and held it up for Quasar to see. Quasar looked impressed for a moment before he placed his ghostly blue hand over his chest where his ghostly core was. He smiled fondly at the pulsing, knowing that it meant his brother was on his way.

Quasar floated towards Vlad and reached for the scepter, only to have it pulled out of his reach. Quasar wasn't surprised. Vlad may have been a ghost, but he was also a human, and humans overall feared those who were more powerful than them.

"Is there a problem, Plasmius?"

"How do I know you'll keep your end of the bargain?"

"Have I not been truthful thus far? Have I not helped you escape with me from my prison? Did I not give you the exact location of Clockwork's abode? What makes you think I will break my word now?"

"How about because of the simple fact that you're not just any ghost, you're a spirit. More specifically you're the Spirit of _Space_ and Clockwork's brother! You left that bit out of introductions!"

Quasar contemplated over the matter, then shrugged carelessly.

"It's not relevant information."

"Not relevant? How is leaving out your relationship with the very spirit that I was trying my darnedest to find _not relevant_?"

"You're a manipulative man, Vlad. You tell me."

Vlad opened his mouth then shut it. Of course he was being used, and part of one being used is being ignorant to the truth, or at least the whole truth. Vlad gritted his teeth before he decided to cut his losses and take the scepter with him. With it he was sure he could figure out some way to travel through time with the darned thing. Thinking back to the fight he had with Clockwork, Vlad mimicked the Time Master's motions and drew a circle in the air, but nothing happened. Vlad looked at the scepter, shook it, then tried again only to receive the same results.

Quasar merely stood there and watched Vlad fail, impressed that he had some courage deep inside him. After five tries though…

Quasar snatched the scepter from a very annoyed Vlad before waving it in the motion of an infinity symbol. Unlike Vlad, the spirit actually succeeded in making a blue symbol, and Vlad stood still, his ectoplasmic blood running cold. Quasar ignored Vlad, and turned to his left and drew another infinity symbol in the air. He repeated the process twice more and then stopped when he was in the center of the four symbols. He smiled before he dropped Clockwork's staff in order to summon his own to him. He then began tracing over the symbols causing the blue to be overlaid by a bright purple. Before he traced over the final symbol, Quasar turned his attention to Vlad.

"You might want to brace yourself."

Vlad wasn't sure how to respond to that. Didn't the spirit know that he had tried to betray him just now? Why would the other give him a warning about, well, whatever it was that was about to happen? It wasn't the time to dwell on that because Quasar began tracing over the final infinity symbol causing Vlad to instantly throw up a strong barrier to protect him, and not a moment too soon.

As soon as Vlad's shield had him completely boxed in, energy began to crackle and spark everywhere. Blue-violet energy merged into gold and swirled around the entire room. The energy flew towards Vlad's shield, crashing into it violently, but the shield held. Despite how weak Vlad was, he made sure his shield held. Honestly, it should have should have shattered, but it didn't.

Eventually the life-like energy began to flow back towards its summoner, or more specifically into the bracer that was over his left wrist. Quasar hissed as the energy caused the golden bracer to become almost unbearably hot which caused him to drop his scepter. Moments later the energy evaporated into the air and a metallic _clink_ could be heard.

Vlad slowly lowered his shield while taking in the sight before him. Quasar's bracer had dropped to the floor, and his aura was brighter than before. Quasar smiled to no-one in particular as he levitated into the air, watching as a blue spectral trail followed him as he moved. With his free hand he waved his scepter to return to him, then twirled it like a baton. He laughed happily like a child who was having the time of his life. Vlad noticed the other changes in the spirit, but he was so flabbergasted at what was going on that he couldn't focus.

Quasar landed in front of Clockwork's staff and picked it up with his left hand. He propped it up against the wall and then turned his full attention to Vlad who involuntarily took a step back. Was he screwed? This situation reminded him of his time with Pariah Dark and Vortex. He was really starting to see a pattern when it came to the specters that were locked away by the Observants.

"And now, for you."

Vlad said nothing, unsure of what the other meant by his statement. Quasar's eyes turned a dark violet before he spoke to Vlad, the echo of his voice sending chills down the older Halfa's spine.

"Give me the place of where you want to go and the date."

Vlad looked stunned. Was he really about to get what he wanted? Was this spirit really going to assist him? There was only one way to find out.

"University of Wisconsin, 1984."

Quasar held his staff above his head and stared solely at Vlad while focusing on his returned powers. Suddenly a neon violet bolt of lightning struck the ground. The bolt didn't vanish, but instead spread out until it form a jagged violet portal.

"Enjoy yourself, Vladimir."

Vlad hesitated before he felt a force pulling him in. With a distressed cry, the vampire-like Halfa was hurtled through space and time. Quasar's eyes returned to their natural red hue, and he chuckled to himself. He didn't mind giving Vlad what he wanted because he knew that Vlad's interference with the time streams could and most likely would have some undesirable effects.

Quasar closed his eyes before he shuddered at the sudden tingling of his ghostly core. He knew that it only meant one thing; Clockwork was near. Quasar frowned before he looked around his keep. The ticking clocks began to slowly set themselves, an hour glass that had once been shattered began to reassemble itself. Even the sand in the glass began to flow upward until it was all in the top. Once the clocks had set themselves accordingly, they ticked in unison once more while the sand in the hour glass began to flow freely. Quasar shook his head and smiled.

"This will be an interesting reunion."

* * *

Clockwork followed the trail of flowers until they led him to a keep, one he recognized almost immediately. The structure may have had it's color changed to suit the current owner, but it was of Atlantean architecture. Clockwork stopped at the front entrance, taking note of his brother's means of security. On a whim, he began to tap the spheres in a certain order. Once he finished, he smiled to himself as the door opened, unable to stop himself from rolling his eyes at his brother's simplicity.

"Won't he be upset to learn that Pluto is no longer considered a planet?"

Clockwork began to make his way inside, ignoring the fact that the door closed behind him. Immediately Clockwork's core began to pulse almost sporadically, but it soon began to regulate itself, and Clockwork knew then that it only meant one thing. He and his brother were at full power.

"QUASAR!"

Clockwork floated hastily down the corridor and into the main room of the keep. Immediately he spotted his staff leaning against the wall, but he made no attempt to grab it. Instead, he scanned the room, trying to pinpoint the source of this nonsense, but what he saw only made him wary; no Vlad and no Quasar.

Clockwork became unnerved at this new development. He had grown accustomed to knowing everything, so being in the ignorant category was bringing forth emotions he had long since forgotten. One of them was fear. Clockwork's core pulsed faster as his nerves began to get to him, but a soft chuckle from behind him oddly calmed him down; giving him something to focus on. Clockwork turned around and his eyes widened at the sight before him.

Quasar was dressed in a dark purple cloak with its hood pulled back revealing his bald head which had a silver band centered with a red gem. Holding the cloak in place was a clip in the shape of a planet with one ring orbiting around it. Beneath the cloak, the spirit wore a black robe that had brightly colored galaxies slowly moving around like the fabric was made out of the solar system itself. The left sleeve of the robe had been torn off from the shoulder while the right one was long enough to barely show the individual's fingertips. Around the spirit's waist was a black sash that had two hand sized golden rings linked together. Wrapped around the second ring was a small little planet with two purple/blue rings that seemed to rotate around it.

The Space Spirit's eyes seemed to reflect amusement as he eyed his big brother. Below his right eye were three black curved markings and in his left hand he held his Space Scepter tightly as though it was his life line. The star at the base of the scepter was golden in color and seemed to have a slightly brighter aura than the rest of the scepter.

The similarities that he and Clockwork shared were almost uncanny, but it was clear which one was which.

"…Quasar…" whispered Clockwork who tried to regain his composure.

"It's been awhile, brother," stated the Spatial Spirit, his mouth twitching up as though he wanted to smile.

"What have you done?" Clockwork asked, ignoring the longing in his brother's eyes.

"What do you mean? I simply used our combined might to break my restraints."

"And Vlad?"

"I rewarded him accordingly. He wanted a chance to redeem himself, and I gave him that chance."

Clockwork narrowed his eyes. His brother had no right, and Vlad in the past could wreck the present and the future. There was a strong chance that Danny would cease to exist and that could not be allowed to happen.

"Bring him back, Quasar."

"You do it, oh great and powerful _Master of Time._"

Clockwork didn't let his emotions slip though the jealousy in his brother's voice was all too obvious.

"You've prevented me from getting to him so you must be the one to bring him back."

"Who are you to order me around, Clockwork? Who are you to tell me anything, hm? How can I trust a liar?"

Clockwork knew the game that his brother was trying to play, and he refused to play along. Instead he reached out his injured hand to try to summon his scepter, but the mark on his hand glowed, burning him.

Quasar laughed, quite satisfied with the predicament his brother was in.

"Ah ah ah, I don't think so. You see, I knew that Vladimir wasn't a match for you. No-one is a match for you; for _us. _The only way he had a true chance of defeating you was to disarm you. That mark on your wrist will prevent you from wielding your scepter, at least for an hour or so, and I believe it's only been about thirty minutes?"

Clockwork glared.

"Thirty-one, if you wish to be accurate," he corrected, causing his younger brother to give a warmhearted laugh.

"Yes well, thirty-one or thirty thousand, it's enough time for me to have my revenge, wouldn't you agree?"

Quasar aimed his scepter at Clockwork, sending out a charge of violet lightning. Clockwork immediately took to the air, successfully dodging the attack. He didn't want to take his chances. Who knew what other effects the mark on his wrist had? Clockwork dove down for his scepter and tried to grab it in his unmarked hand, but he was burned anyway. He hissed then turned intangible to avoid a blow from his brother that he knew he wouldn't be able to dodge. Instead of the attack going through him, however, it hit him square in the chest causing him to hit the wall behind him.

Slightly disoriented from the attack, Clockwork slid down the wall until he was seated against it. Quasar wore a wicked smile on his face while he pointed his scepter at his brother.

"So Clockwork, tell me what it's like to be defeated by the one that you betrayed?"

Clockwork shook his head to deny the accusation.

"I didn't betray you. I saved you."

"Saved me from what?! Do you have any idea of what it's like to be locked up for no reason?"

"No reason," Clockwork questioned incredulously while holding his aching chest. "You threatened to destroy everything! They were going to eradicate you! Don't you understand?"

"It's _you_ who doesn't understand. I would rather have been erased from existence than locked away, forever trapped as nothing more than ethereal ecto-energy."

Clockwork seemed surprised.

"Ethereal?"

"That's what I said, isn't it? I couldn't take form, all the energy I could store was immediately siphoned and dispersed through the room in order to keep me at bay. Never seeing anyone for centuries at a time. That's torture, Clockwork. It's a fate worse than oblivion."

Clockwork's eyes hardened at the new information, but he didn't let it show in his voice. He had to be indifferent, even to those he cared about the most.

"I'm sorry you went through that, Quasar, but perhaps if you had just done what was asked of you-"

Clockwork turned intangible and floated through the floor the moment his brother's scepter began to glow. It was an anger induced attack making it wild and easy to dodge. Of course, Clockwork was in Quasar's territory. Quasar smiled cynically before he opened his mouth to speak, only to realize that Clockwork was no longer where he had been on the floor.

"Running away, Clockwork? Color me surprised."

"I'd rather color you a nice shade of black to go with that blue."

Clockwork grimaced. _Now I'm acting like Danny,_ he thought while flying up from the floor beneath his brother causing the younger to drop his scepter. The two spirits continued their ascent until they were both out of the castle and weaponless. Clockwork released his hold over the younger spirit and the two separated. Quasar fisted his hands together at his sides while Clockwork stood dismissively with his hands to his sides. He hadn't wanted to fight his brother. He had wanted to talk him out of his revenge; out of his madness, but that didn't seem like it was going to be possible. His brother seemed too far gone.

Quasar lunged for Clockwork who merely turned to the side to avoid the attack. Quasar shot a blast of violet energy towards his brother, only to have the blast be dodged with ease. It was clear to Quasar that Clockwork refused to fight him, and that only made him angrier.

"It does not have to be this way, brother. You can still stop this."

"Yes, I could still stop this. That doesn't mean that I will. Do you know what it's like to live with the fact that the one person you'd follow to oblivion and back betrayed you? Do you know how it feels to know that your own brother is responsible for your torture? You don't, do you, but I'm about to show you. I will make you pay."

Clockwork held both his hands together above his head gathering energy from his surroundings. He then placed them both by his side and began to spin in place. Quasar watched as the blue melded with the purple of his brother's cloak, before he started shooting at his twin. The rays disappeared before reappearing behind Quasar and slamming into his back. The Space Spirit howled before he glared at Clockwork who had stopped spinning and was nursing his wrist.

Quasar smirked triumphantly at his brother's predicament then floated down towards the ground, Clockwork following suit. His expression was stoic, but his eyes gave away the pain he was in. Quasar took a deep breath before his eyes turned violet. His core began to tingle and in turn, so did Clockwork's. A soft breeze began to pick up and surround the two, rejuvenating them as was Quasar's will. Clockwork's own eyes turned blue as he began to siphon off the energy as well. Quasar's eyes reverted back to their red color as a sigh escaped his lips. He chuckled when he saw Clockwork, however. The Master of Time seemed out of it, like the power trip was getting to him. It was what Quasar wanted. Perhaps he could persuade Clockwork over to his side?

"It feels good, doesn't it CK?"

Clockwork didn't respond, but he didn't have to. It was clear by the way Quasar's core tingled with Clockwork's own resonating core. Quasar hovered closer to his brother before he knelt down in front of him, gripping his brother's marked wrist.

"This power is ours, Clockwork. You, Master of Time and I, Master of Space, own this power. This is our realm, this is our right. Why should we be denied such power?"

Clockwork turned his head towards his brother, his eyes not really seeing, but he didn't have to see to know what was happening.

"Why should such power be bestowed upon us?"

Quasar let go of his brother's hand almost immediately at the comment, but Clockwork reached out and his wrist.

"Why should it be us who carries this power and the burdens that come with it?"

Quasar growled as Clockwork's eyes reverted back to their normal red hues, but Clockwork refused to let go.

"Why can't you understand that for every action there is a reaction?"

"Oh, I understand that perfectly, as will you, Clockwork!"

Clockwork immediately let his brother go before he tried to phase through the ground. Quasar saw this tactic from a mile away and with his manipulation of space, he created a rift that would lead Clockwork right back in front of him. The moment Clockwork's head was in view, Quasar slammed his fist against his brother's cheek, sending Clockwork gliding backwards.

Clockwork wiped his lips and looked at his hand, taking note of the ectoplasm that covered it. He then looked at his brother, his eyes narrowed and glowing dangerously. As much as he wanted to avoid this, there was no other alternative; he had to fight his brother.

With a yell of conflicting emotions, Clockwork struck back, punching his off-guard brother in the chest. He flew around behind Quasar, and rammed his shoulder into his back. When Quasar recovered, he made an attempt at a counter, but Clockwork was much faster and much more adept at fighting. It was to be expected considering that Clockwork hadn't been locked away for millenniums. Quasar flew high into the darkened sky with Clockwork on his spectral trail. The two flew around; dancing around the others' attack. It was clear even now that Clockwork was still holding back, and that made Quasar furious but not because he didn't like being treated like a weakling, but because he knew that he was outclassed. If Clockwork wanted to, he could definitely take him down, so why didn't he?

* * *

Meanwhile at Clockwork's tower, the Observants began to weigh their options. If Clockwork and Quasar fought all out, their Gemini Cores would resonate with each other, and the resonance of their cores would do more damage than the two of them on their own even if they were at full power. The two Observants knew that it would come to an altercation. How could it not? Quasar wouldn't listen to Clockwork, especially if he saw Clockwork's actions as a betrayal.

"Where did we go wrong?"

"We did not go wrong. They are just uncontrollable."

"They must be stopped."

"They must."

The two Observants went on like that until the chuckling of a disembodied voice caught them unawares.

"You are the sorriest specters I've ever had the displeasure of listening to, and that includes that infernal Box Ghost."

The two Observants chortled, unafraid of the creature inside the Fenton Thermos, after all, there was nothing he could do. He was trapped and wouldn't be able to harm them.

"Oh please Dark Phanton, as if your opinion matters to us."

"Oh, I don't care if my opinion matters to you fools at all. What matters to me is how I'm going to destroy you when I do get out of here."

The two Observants laughed at the remark before they started laughing hesitantly thanks to the sudden violent rattling coming from the Fenton Thermos. Eventually a blue light began to shine through a crack in the thermos. The crack was more than enough for Dan to make his escape, but he wanted to be showy. He wanted to strike terror into the Observants before he erased them. No, Dan continued to pour power into his body and slam up against the side of the thermos creating more and more cracks. The thermos, no longer able to contain the specter inside, exploded which sent bits and pieces of metal through the tower. The Observants huddled together, each one shivering in fear as massive amounts of green ecto-smoke began to converge above the podium that had housed it for so long. From the smoke came a frightening disembodied voice; a voice that struck fear and terror into the hearts from a time line that had been wiped from existence.

Mere moments later the light blue, flaming white haired creature with matching ponytail and goatee came into focus. His tongue hung from his mouth as his sharp pointed teeth glistened in the light of his own white aura. His black glove covered hands were folded across his chest as he stared down his prey. His white jumpsuit with black covering the middle of his torso had a DP insignia on it, just like Danny's and it even seemed to give off a brighter glow as his energy pulsed through the room. His lower half was covered in black matching pants and white boots which were pointed down. Behind him was a white cape that flapped behind him even though there was no wind, courtesy of Vlad Plasmius.

The creatures eyes would have been considered normal looking had it not been for the glowing red irises he possessed. Retracting his tongue into his mouth, and slowly making his way towards the ground, Dan began to taunt the frightened Observants.

"Who's laughing now, fools?" he asked as he took slow steps towards the fools in question.

The Observants didn't respond, nor did they move. How could Dan have escaped? His escape wasn't supposed to happen yet. They were supposed to have more time to prepare!

Dan smiled down at the Observants once he was standing close enough.

"Let me answer that. It's **me**!"

Dan laughed while the two Observants immediately pulled themselves together. The two quickly raised their hands which somewhat caught Dan off guard. Dan bulked up in preparation for whatever pitiful attack the two Observants were about to throw at him, only to yelp in surprise when a sudden flash of light emerged not only from the Observants hands, but their eyeball heads as well, temporarily blinding the deranged Phantom.

Dan's hands instantly ignited with his flaming ghostly green ecto-energy, and he began to fire it in front of him. Luckily for them, the Observants immediately moved from their previous spot the moment their attack was fired. The two then took the opportunity to make their escape while Dan continued to fire aimlessly, all the while shouting out threats and how it was only a matter of time before he caught up with them.

Minutes later, Dan's eyesight returned to him though the process had been too slow for his liking. He scanned the area taking note of the trashed domain of Clockwork. Part of him was satisfied with his handiwork, but another part of him was disappointed. The Observants had gotten the better of him, and neither Clockwork nor Danny was there. That was no issue, however, because it would be simple enough to reach his former self, and it would be even simpler to make him regret the day they crossed paths. With a satisfied smile, Dan created a portal to Amity Park and gazed at the darkened sky and the buildings located on the other side. He was a tad bit confused when the first thing he saw was a billboard with a larger than life picture of his former self's face on it. Unsure what to make of it, he decided that the billboard would be the first to go.

Flying through his ghostly portal, Dan made a beeline directly for the billboard. He tucked his head and flew directly into it, laughing maniacally as he did so. It seemed that senseless destruction and causing sheer terror was still fun. Despite the fun he was having, Dan's current motive was to draw out his former friends, sister and even his parents because he knew that they were still alive and he knew it would be the ultimate defeat for his pitiful former self.

**TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** Before I get to the story, which I know you're all waiting for, I want to reply to my reviewers!

**Guest: "You just can't kill off Danny's loved ones! You already brought back Clockwork's horrible past and made him fight his own brother! Now you're going to make Danny fight his worst fear?! (Even if he is like a bazillion times more powerful.) What about Vlad, hmm? Is he just going to destroy everything?! ARE YOU TRYING TO DESTROY THE UNIVERSE?!"**

This review, is by far, one of my favorites so far!

You might be right about killing off Danny's loved ones. I mean, the last thing we need are two Dan's running around. ;)

Oh yes. Clockwork's horrible past. I wonder if it can only get worse for him? -shrug-

Yes. We all have to face our fears sometimes. I have Arachnophobia so...yeah.

What _about_ Vlad? Oh. I can't tell you what Vlad is going to do. You'll just have to keep reading.

And yes. I am trying to destroy the Universe. -Insert Maniacal Laughter Here-

**kingpariah: "Time and space are at war. Vlad has gone to the past to change history. And danny's dark future has escape and seeks revenge. If danny wants to save the day, he is going to need a miracle. Looking forward to the next chapter."**

Holy Crap! I want to use this as a description to this story. TT_TT Soooo gooood.

Well, here's the next chapter, enjoy!

**Guest: "This is really interesting :) I love fanfics where Clockwork becomes an important character in the story but it has some suspense and action in the mix as well XD it's more exciting that way. X3"**

I am glad that you find this interesting! I haven't found many stories with Clockwork being the main focus. Of course, it's probably because I suck at searching for stuff.

:( I tried to make this story more fast paced and action-filled, but I don't know if I've succeeded. There are so many other writers out there who could probably take this story and make it more than what I've done. :( Also my fight sequences suck. xD Meh, you'll figure it soon enough.

**Alright-y then! Thanks for the reviews and make sure you keep them coming! Now, on to the chapter!**

* * *

Chapter Five: Fifth Fenton

Despite not wanting to go home and the abrupt departure, Danny had to admit that he owed Clockwork one. Despite his identity being revealed to the world and his parents, his curfew was still ten. Any ghost activity that went on afterward was to be left to his parents unless they needed his help. If they needed his help, they would call, otherwise he was to rest up for school unless it was the weekend.

When Danny stepped into the house, it had been nine fifty-seven, and his mother and father had been standing in the doorway. His mother, Maddie, wore her signature blue radiation suit with its hood down revealing her short, auburn hair. His rotund father matched his mother perfectly. Jack Fenton wore an orange radiation suit with the hood down revealing his black and white hair. Danny smiled sheepishly at them, although it was obvious he had much weighing on his mind. He looked tired, but not as though he had fought a bunch of ghosts.

Danny made the switch to his human side, and watched as his parents jumped a bit. They still weren't used to his transformations.

"Sweetie, is everything alright?" his mother asked as she lead her youngest child to the couch.

Jack closed the door then followed his wife and son to the living room sofa. His oldest sister Jazz walked out of the kitchen which was located behind the living room. Her auburn hair was in a ponytail down to her shoulders, a clear sign that she had been studying, and she wore a pink pajama shirt with matching bottoms and slippers. She eyed her brother curiously, having long since realized that it was the only way she would be able to tell if her brother was truly in pain or hiding something. She was currently at home due to a scheduling issue with her college. Until everything was sorted out, she would be staying with her parents and her brother.

"Yeah, I just went to visit a friend in the Ghost Zone, and he's having family issues." Danny rolled his eyes at the thought.

His parents didn't catch the meaning behind the eye roll, but Jazz did.

"You got dismissed, huh?" asked Jazz with a small smile.

Danny frowned at his annoyingly smart sister, and that was all the confirmation Jazz needed. She shrugged her shoulders, and took note of the fact that there was still something more that he wasn't telling them. Jazz took the opportunity to try to figure it out for herself.

"You sure that's all, Danny. I mean, a little family spat has never gotten you down before, unless it's our family."

Danny looked at his sister, knowing all of her prying techniques, and decided that it'd be best to drop the bomb now.

"Yeah well, this particular ghost and his brother are pretty powerful, and it would be really bad if the one who's causing the issue got his way. Oh and I saw Vlad today. Goodnight."

Just like that, Danny had dropped Vlad's name and the fact that he was back out in the open. His mother and sister seemed stunned, but his father's face turned stoic. Danny, on the other hand, had immediately turned intangible and slipped through the couch, easily making his way towards the stairs. The moment he reached the banister, the weight of the situation finally set in, and there was a chorus of _WHAT_ being shouted. Maddie looked towards the couch for Danny only to see that he was no longer seated. She instantly turned her stare towards the flight of stairs at the exact moment Danny turned invisible. She marched over to the stairs and cupped her hands over her mouth. Danny knew what this meant, and being in such a close proximity with his mother…his ears didn't need that kind of abuse.

Danny instantly turned visible, startling his mother. She glared at him and he smiled sheepishly.

"You saw Vlad today," she repeated, unsure of how to take this news.

"Um, yeah. He was there…in the Ghost Zone."

"Was he…is he-?" started Jazz only for Danny to cut her off.

"Dead? I'm not sure. He was in his ghost form though, but that can mean either or."

"Did you fight him," asked his dad, that stoic façade still on his face.

Jack had been like that at every mention of Vlad since the moment the Disasteroid incident was averted.

Danny shifted uncomfortably which only confirmed, at least to Jazz, that Danny did indeed fight Vlad.

"How'd that go," she asked thinking that Vlad may have once again hurt her little brother.

"Oh I wiped the floor with him. The guy was totally out of practice."

The three older Fentons looked at Danny, a bit skeptical, but his goofy grin spoke volumes.

"What happened, Danny?" his mother asked as she pulled him back towards the couch.

Danny sat down and sighed at the question, his mother sitting down beside him. Jazz sat to his other side while Jack took the floor.

"Tell us everything, son," Jack said as he smiled proudly at his little boy, "from the beginning."

Danny couldn't help but feel embarrassed. He was definitely not going to tell them about his encounter with the Box Ghost, that was for certain, but in order to tell them about Vlad, he would have to tell them where he was in the Ghost Zone, and he hadn't exactly told his parents much about the Spirit of Time. He was afraid of what they would try if they knew. Thinking that he could probably get away with being a little vague, Danny began to speak.

"Well, I was with my friend, and Vlad had sought him out."

"Why," inquired Maddie as she got comfortable.

"Because my friend had something he wanted. You know how Vlad is, anything for power."

"What was this something?" asked Jack much to Danny's slight annoyance.

"Good question. I told you how Vlad collects ghostly artifacts, right? It was probably something along those lines."

Danny had gotten better at lying which was something both he and Jazz disapproved of. He had said that he would try to tell his parents and Jazz the truth and stop all the lies, but it seemed that with the world and his parents knowing his secret, the lies only grew and became much smoother as they flowed past his lips. Of course Jazz could spot the small indications that told her that Danny was lying. She knew he did it to protect them, but he had to understand that there were other ways to protect them, like letting them know what might be in store for them all just in case they had to prepare.

"Danny," Jazz scolded, but Danny ignored her, or at least he tried to.

His mother had picked up on her childrens' exchange and figured that Jazz knew that Danny wasn't being truthful. Jazz had the ability to read everyone, including herself and Jack.

"Danny," repeated his mother, this time much more sternly.

Danny glared at Jazz before turning to face his mother.

"Listen, it's not really a big deal. I mean my friend-"

"Who is this mysterious friend, Danny?" his father asked.

Danny had a lie at the ready but with one glance at Jazz and then his mom, he knew he wouldn't get to sleep any time soon if he continued to hide things from them.

"His name is Clockwork," Danny said while looking at Jazz. She nodded, remembering it was that very ghost who helped save Sam, Tucker, and Vlad from a fatal case of Ecto-Acne not to mention herself and their parents in an event prior to the acne. His mother and father looked annoyed with him, however, and it was clear in Maddie's accusation.

"You said you'd tell us about all the ghosts in the Ghost Zone."

"Ye-ep," stated Danny, though the ghost of a smile was tugging at his lips.

"Then why didn't you tell us about this one, about this Clockwork," she continued while Jack looked up at Danny.

"You said all the _ghosts_ in the Zone. Clockwork isn't a ghost."

Jack and Maddie looked at each other, then towards Danny. They were curious, and a bit confused. It was clear that they had no idea why Danny would classify Clockwork as something other than a ghost if he lived in the Ghost Zone. Then again, there were many things that they had to admit they didn't know. After all, their own flesh and blood son doubled as a dead ghost fighting teen hero.

"Then what is he?" asked Maddie, though Jack was clearly thinking back to all the things he had studied in college. In the beginning, Jack had been the more enthusiastic of the pair, and that was sometimes still the case when it came to paranormal activities.

"A ghost is supposed to be the soul of a dead person who inhabits the unseen world which we call the Ghost Zone. If he isn't a ghost and resides there then…maybe he's a spirit?"

Danny looked surprised. His father really was an expert on ghosts. Ghost hunting? Not so much.

"But aren't ghosts and spirits the same thing," asked Jazz.

Maddie looked thoughtful as she answered her daughter.

"Yes and no. Some people believe that spirits are pure-beings that produce life force. A spirit can reside in a body, like ours, but when they die they lose their spirit status. Other people believe that there are pure spirits which are spirits that exist outside of the natural order, constantly bringing new life into the world. The spirits can be classified into pure good or pure evil categories as well, but they have never been proven to exist."

Maddie and Jack looked towards Danny while Danny nervously rubbed the back of his head.

"They do exist!" shouted the married couple together, startling both Danny and Jazz.

"Hey Danny-boy, does this spirit have a specific and unique characteristic?" asked his father while his mother pulled out a small notepad from inside her radiation suit.

Danny groaned. That was totally one of the things that he wanted to avoid. Just as Danny was about to voice that very comment, a light blue haze wafted from his mouth while the entirety of the Fenton Works building began blaring thanks to the alarm system that was set to automatically go into code red if a ghost with a base ecto-reading of seven or more was in the area, excluding Danny of course.

Not sure whether to be completely relieved or worried, Danny rushed over to a picture frame which hung on the side of the staircase. He moved it to the side revealing a glass screen and a series of buttons. He pressed a few buttons in a specific sequence which activated the town's ghost shield, hoping that it would buy them some time. Almost immediately afterward, the screen extended outward and then unfolded revealing that it was actually a series of smaller screens that were connect by small leads. The screens clicked into place with each other creating a monitor about sixteen inches in height and width.

On the screen wearing his signature half rounded black glasses was Danny's African American best friend and youngest mayor in Amity Park history, Tucker Foley. Beside Tucker's image sprang another image revealing Danny's girlfriend, her locks of raven black hair hanging just barely past her shoulders since she didn't sleep in the ponytail she usually wore it in. Her eyes reflected worry since the alarm was like a freaking tornado siren, only ten times as loud.

"Dude," came Tucker's tired voice from over the monitor. "I swear, if this is another false alarm-"

"I don't think so Tuck, my ghost sense just went off. I'm gonna go and check it out."

Tucker smiled at his best friend before he placed his arm over his forehead dramatically.

"Oh I surely hope that it is not the Box Ghost."

Sam and Tucker both shared a nervous laugh though it was clear that Danny was not amused. He even heard Jazz laughing behind him. When he turned though, he saw that his mother and father weren't looking at him, but he could tell that they were amused as well.

"Great, so everyone knows about that. Geez."

"Danny, you have more important problems than the Box Ghost at the moment."

Danny nodded at his mother before he walked towards the front door. He stopped momentarily when he felt an incredibly strong urge to duck. His stomach looped and for a moment, he was confused, at least until the shrieking starting. Danny, distressed, did the first thing that came to mind and that was to cover his ears. Looking at his parents, sister, best friend and girlfriend, he could only wince at the realization. There were only two people that he knew of who could scream that loud, and he was one of them...err, both of them...one and a half of them?

Danny rushed over to his sister and parents and pointed down, indicating that they should get to the downstairs laboratory. Danny then pointed towards his ears while looking at his friends through the monitor. Sam seemed to understand what he was saying and ran over to the drawers in her room. Tucker, on the other hand, seemed fairly clueless. Danny rolled his eyes before hastily making his way into the basement lab where his family was waiting. Jazz had taken the liberty of giving her family the Fenton Phones; earphones that filtered out spectral noise while simultaneously acting as communication devices. Once the devices were on, the Fentons were glad that the wailing was no longer effecting them though it could still be heard. Danny, as well as Jazz sighed in relief.

Danny placed his hands to the right earpiece and pressed a small button on the side.

"Clueless One checking in, over. You guys read me?"

"Chaos here, and I read you loud and clear," was the response which Danny received from Sam.

"Friar Tuck here wondering why we're using our code names, over."

Danny rolled his eyes before looking back at his parents, both of which were wearing frowns on their faces. It was clear that Danny had been hiding much more from them than they originally thought.

"Why do Sam and Tucker have a pair of Fenton Phones?"

Danny didn't respond, but instead looked towards the ceiling.

"I promise I'll explain later. Right now we have much bigger problems to contend with. Jazz, I need you to stay here with mom and dad. Sam, Tucker, I need you two to promise me that no matter what happens you won't go outside."

"No promises," came the irritated reply of Sam and Tucker.

"Guys, I mean it."

"Yeah, and so do we Danny. Whatever this is, we're not about to let you handle it alone."

Danny paused at Sam's words, unsure of how he was supposed to respond, at least at first.

"Sam, he's back and the first thing he's gonna wanna do is get you guys out of the way, just like last time. I can't let him get such an advantage over me."

"He who?" questioned the clueless Fenton parents while Tucker and Sam both thought over who Danny could have possibly meant.

"There's only one other person with a Ghostly Wail…" stated Tucker, the fear in his voice apparent.

"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure this is his way of calling us out."

Outside, Dan Phantom finally closed his mouth, ceasing his Ghostly Wail. The Fentons thought that the Ghost Shield would be enough to keep him out, but they were wrong. Dan had destroyed a much stronger and efficient shield back in his time, so this one was clearly not a match for him. Dan smirked triumphantly before he began to cackle. He watched the scurrying citizens below before he amplified his voice for all to hear.

"DO NOT HIDE FROM ME UNLESS YOU WANT ME OR I WILL DESTROY EVERYTHING!"

Inside, Danny glared at nothing in particular while he, Tucker, Sam and Jazz muttered, "Definitely calling us out."

"What do we do," questioned Tucker, unsure if his best friend could handle the fight alone.

"What I want to know is how he got out of the thermos," Sam replied which caused Danny to think back.

Danny's body stiffened as he recalled the fight back in Clockwork's Tower. Had Vlad unintentionally damaged the thermos even more than it had been before, during his altercation with Clockwork? It certainly was a possibility considering Vlad's ability to unintentionally cause the most obscene amount of damage only to attempt taking advantage of it later. Two prime examples would be the issue with Pariah Dark where he made off with the Ecto-Skeleton and the most recent catastrophe; the Disasteroid.

"Crud," was Danny's only remark as his body began to glow, changing him into his ghostly alter ego.

Jack and Maddie, however, had gone over to one of the newly installed substations in the corner of the lab near the staircase. The two began working, pressing buttons, pulling levers and activating cameras that were hidden all throughout Amity Park. Moments later, the middle of the floor began to part in order to make way for a giant screen which had images of different locations in Amity Park playing on them.

Danny and his sister watched the monitors, each one wearing an identical worried scowl on their faces, but Danny's eyes narrowed dangerously when he caught the cause of all his troubles right above Casper High's football field.

"Its readings are off the charts!" cried Jack as he watched paper after paper flow from one of the machines atop a desk displaying the specters energy readings.

"Danny, you've tangled with this ghost before, haven't you?" his mother accused as she turned to watch her son stare at the ghost on screen. A look of surprise crossed her face when she noticed the ghost's appearance, or more specifically, the emblem on his chest.

"Danny, he…what the-"

Out of nowhere, on screen, a streak of pure white energy collided with the dark version of Danny, throwing Maddie for a loop. The newcomer wasn't nearly strong enough to stop the creature before it, but it did momentarily stun the bigger ghost. Once the streak hit its mark, it stopped, revealing a female specter who could have passed as Danny's twin. Jack looked up to see what the hubbub was about, and just stared at the screen. Almost instantly he turned to look at Danny as did Maddie, only to see that Danny was concentrating hard on the screen.

"Oh no, she doesn't have a chance. I gotta get out there!"

Before anyone could protest, Danny turned intangible and shot through the ceiling. Maddie was still speechless, but Jack was on his feet. He needed to get a closer look at the ghost girl. That was when he heard Sam and Tucker's voice on his Fenton Phones. They were trying to get Danny's attention. Apparently when Danny flew into the air, his own earpieces had fallen to the floor, much to the dismay of Jack who seemed to be the only one who noticed.

"He can't hear you, kids."

Sam and Tucker stopped speaking, knowing what that must have meant. Jazz and Maddie looked towards Jack and then to Danny's Fenton Phones before turning their eyes back to the monitor. Maddie took a few deep breaths in order to gain her composure before entering her _ghost hunter_ mode.

"The shield around town has been taken out by that creature's wail. We need to deploy the backup and hope that it doesn't meet the same fate. If that happens, then the town will be completely unprotected."

Jack went over to the console and began typing in the commands while Jazz watched her brother on the screen. He was flying so fast that he looked like nothing more than a white streak zooming across the sky. Jazz's attention then turned back to the girl who looked identical to her brother, if not about a head shorter. Jazz then turned her attention back to the bigger of the three ghosts who had bounced back from his momentary disorientation. Once he spotted the girl ghost, he reared back a bit, not sure of what to make of her. The ghost girl smiled, her long white ponytail flapping behind her while her messy white bangs blew softly over her eyes. Her pink lips were turned upward into a smile while her glowing green eyes held a challenge in them.

Her top was long sleeved and showed off her midriff. Half of it was black while the other half was white. She wore pants there were also black and white, but the black and white were on opposite sides than the top. She wore a black glove on the hand that corresponded with the white of her top while the other hand had a white glove. She was wearing black boots as well with a small heel on the back. Finally, on the chest of her top was the same emblem that both Danny and Dan wore.

"Who're you supposed to be?" snarled Dan as he regained his composure.

"The name's Danielle, but you can call me Danni; Danny with an '_i_'."

Dan's eyes widened before he started laughing. This had to have been some sort of messed up joke. This girl was named Danni and she was a Phantom? Clearly there was a lot of context missing, but before he had time to say anything more, something instantly hit his back and froze over, causing the deranged phantom to turn and face his assailant.

"You!" he sneered as he pointed to Danny, stunned yet delighted at the same time.

"Yep, it's me," stated Danny calmly as he slowly began to circle around until he was beside Danielle.

"You're supposed to be with Clockwork!" accused Dan, causing Danny to raise his brow curiously.

"I could kinda almost say the same to you. Besides, I'm the one that should be complaining you know. As for you-" Danny turned his attention to Danielle, "you need to get out of here. This guy's bad news."

"And a _hey cuz_ to you too."

Danny rolled his eyes, in no mood to play around. This ghost was different from any other ghost he had encountered. Part of that ghost was his own ghost half, contorted and tainted with Vlad's own. This ghost knew him, at least to a certain extent, and knew just what to do to make his life miserable. Danny's hands ignited with glowing green energy as did Dan's. Dan smirked sinisterly at his prey while Danielle hovered backwards hesitantly. She had never seen this side of Danny before, but she knew that it was best to hang back and help when she was needed.

The moment Danny attacked was the precise moment that Dan attacked. Danny and Dan both fired similar blasts of energy towards each other which met in the center. Both ghosts poured their energy into their attacks, hoping to overpower the other, but both phantoms were holding strong. Danielle turned intangible and flew behind Dan, shooting a glowing green disk from each hand, both colliding with Dan's partially frozen back.

Dan's attack wavered and Danny took that moment to give it as much as he could without draining himself, knowing that it would take a lot more to get rid of his alternate future self. The blast flooded Dan's and overpowered it causing the blast to grow in size and engulf the evil phantom. Danielle flew through the ghost and turned tangible once she was side by side with Danny.

"So who is this guy, Danny?"

"Long story, one that I know I'll have to tell the moment I walk through the door."

Danny and Danielle watched as Dan plummeted towards the high school, crashing into the gymnasium. Danny smiled before looking at Danielle.

"On the bright side, there may be a chance that I won't have to worry about school tomorrow."

Danielle rolled her eyes then took off towards the rubble with Danny leading the way. Once the two were in close enough proximity, Danny watched as Dan's hand shot out from beneath the rubble. Danny floated in front of Danielle and then hovered backwards forcing the Female Phantom to move backwards as well. Danny created a shield and at the same moment, the rubble that had been concealing Dan scattered upward in every direction revealing the annoyed Vlad/Danny combo.

"You shouldn't be this strong. In fact, you shouldn't exist! If it weren't for that meddling spirit, you'd be me!"

"And I make sure to thank Clockwork for that every time I see him," muttered Danny as his eyes as well as his hands turned icy blue.

Danielle hovered backwards and mimicked Danny only instead of her eyes and hands turning blue they turned a fiery red-orange. Danny looked to her, slightly surprised but then turned his attention back to Dan.

"Whoa, that's new. Maybe you do have a chance against him."

"You shouldn't underestimate me."

Dan growled as he quickly threw up a shield, blocking the icy-hot combination attack but the blast still managed to knock him back.

"Maybe I shouldn't have been so quick to rush here. There's clearly more going on here than I realized."

"I'm not letting you get away."

"You don't have a choice!"

Turning away from the duo, Dan let loose a Ghostly Wail that would have toppled every building that was near him if it weren't for the fact that something was forcing him back. At first he hadn't seen what it was, but when it hit him he knew. Another Ghost Shield had been set up. Dan gritted his teeth as the green shield came into focus. He wasn't strong enough to attack this shield, mainly because he had broken out of the thermos thinking that Danny would be too occupied with Clockwork and his twin, and he certainly wasn't expecting a girl phantom to intervene. He was screwed, or at least he would have been had it not been for the fact that Danny and Danielle were both in their ghost forms and were both being pushed back as well. It was a good distraction. Dan made a portal to the Ghost Zone while Danny and Danielle flew a few feet away from the shield, hoping that it would give them enough space to attack Dan before having to switch to their human halves, but Dan clearly had other plans.

"I'LL BE BACK!" sneered Dan as he entered his portal, though not without receiving a shock from the shield.

Danny and Danielle both looked at the spot where the shield had been, each one wearing identical scowls before flying towards the shield. Before reaching it, Danny and Danielle turned human, allowing their bodies to slip through the force field. Once the two passed through they turned ghost and continued onward to Fenton Works.

* * *

Back at Fenton Works, the three elder Fentons gave a sigh of relief. Jazz relayed the events to Sam and Tucker who, despite how late it was, stated that they were heading over. Knowing that they wouldn't be able to stop the children from heading over, the two older Fentons decided that it was for the best. With the three founding members of _Team Phantom _plus Jazz, they were sure they'd be able to get some if not all of the answers they were looking for.

While the fight was being monitored, Jack decided to take some stills of the three phantoms in battle while also monitoring their power levels. He then duplicated copies of the information for backup purposes. He handed the information to his wife who went over the findings while Jack put away the extras. Jazz continued talking to Sam and Tucker, though mainly Tucker since he was the mayor and often went to Jazz for advice on how to handle situations similar to this in order to hold press conferences that would insure the citizens of Amity Park that all was fine.

Eventually the two phantoms arrived at the house, though they didn't enter. Danny knew very well that this was the part where he would have to not only explain Danielle but his evil alternate future self. Luckily Sam and Tucker pulled up, much to Sam's dismay, in a limousine provided courtesy of Mayor Foley. Danny and Danielle watched as Sam eagerly jumped out of the limo in a black tank top with fishnets sleeves, a black and white plaid skirt with red leggings beneath it, her signature black combat boots, and a spiked ponytail holder holding her hair up.

Tucker, who obviously slept in his signature yellow shirt was wearing that and a pair of jeans instead of his usual green cargo pants. He wasn't wearing his beret which wasn't unusual nowadays. Danny grinned at their appearance, but they ignored it, each ready to bring up the Box Ghost incident.

"Sam! Tucker! Long time no see!" shouted Danielle with a friendly smile on her face.

Sam crossed her arms and nodded once while Tucker grinned, though it took him a moment to realize something he hadn't when he first met the ghost girl.

"Whoa dude, your cousin looks exactly like you."

"Cousin?" came the voice of Danny's older sister from behind them.

Danny and Danielle both winced identically which caused Sam to raise her brow, taking note of the things that the two phantoms did.

"Yeah, she's your cousin," stated Sam matter-of-factly, though judging from the look on Jazz's face, she knew that something was amiss.

"You don't have a cousin, do you Danny?" asked Sam while standing straight with her hands on her hips.

"No, he doesn't," replied Maddie Fenton. "Danny, explain. Explain everything now."

"I was...planning too."

Maddie motioned for the children to come inside before checking the immediate area. She then closed the door and ushered the children towards the couch, making sure to keep an eye on the female ghost.

Jazz sat down on the recliner while Danny had taken to the same couch he had been sitting on earlier. Sam and Tucker sat on either side of him while Danielle stood in the middle of the floor awkwardly. Danny was about to open his mouth to begin when Jack came up the stairs with a frown on his face.

"Uh, what should I start with?" asked Danny while looking at his sister.

Jazz shrugged her shoulders, not sure of what she wanted to know about first. Maddie, on the other hand, jerked her thumb towards Danielle who looked more than nervous and in turn, turned invisible. Danny took a deep breath, closed his eyes and reverted back to human. Jazz nodded her head as she thought. Since her mother already had an idea on what to start with, they would no doubt have to go with it.

"Better place than any," she stated as she recalled Danny and Danielle's vast similarities. "She's not our cousin and she looks just like you."

"Thanks for that, Jazz," muttered Danny. Jazz just folded her arms over her chest.

Danny placed the palm of his hand to his forehead before dragging it down his face.

"Danni, they're not gonna hurt you."

"Her name's the same as yours?" Jazz asked, confused.

"Actually it's Danielle but I prefer Danny with an _I_," corrected the girl as she turned visible.

Maddie walked over to Danielle and gently gripped her chin. She began to examine the girl while Jack stood at the ready, just in case the female ghost tried to hurt his wife. Danny watched his parents closely as well as Danielle to see how they would react towards each other. Maddie let the girl's chin go and Danielle smiled a little bit before she turned to Danny.

Danielle took a deep breath before finding her confidence.

"I...I can explain," she said timidly while changing her gaze from Danny to the ground.

Danny had to admit that he was definitely relieved. Danielle had no idea how glad he was to have her willing to explain. Besides, it was something she should do anyway. He knew that Danielle would probably want to sit down while she explained, so he nudged Tucker to the side. When Tucker scooted over, Danny motioned for Danielle to sit beside him which she did without hesitation.

Despite being more nervous than she let on, she felt confident with herself, after all she had practiced telling this story to herself in the mirror just in case she ever had to confront the Fenton parents. Of course talking to yourself was a completely different thing entirely because, quite frankly, your reaction would no doubt be ten times as different as the reaction of the people you're practicing for.

"Like I said, my name is Danielle and I'm sort of…Danny and I…he…we're…"

"Related," chimed in Danny while playing with his hands.

"There is a remarkable resemblance between the two of you, but I would know if we had any ghostly relatives."

"Like Danny," coughed Jazz while looking towards the ceiling innocently.

Tucker and Sam snickered while Maddie blushed, embarrassed, then her expression hardened, immediately silencing everyone.

"Explain," said Maddie while Jack continued to listen.

"She's sort of…my…"

"I'm his clone!" shouted Danielle while simultaneously turning invisible.

"His clone," everyone except Danny repeated. "She's your clone?"

Danny nodded while Tucker jumped to his feet to look at his best friend.

"Well that explains a lot, including why she looks like you even when she's human."

"TUCKER!" shouted Danny and Sam together.

"WHAT?!" Tucker responded, clearly unsure why they were yelling at him until he realized that Danielle hadn't reverted to her human form the entire time they were inside. "Oh."

"She's a Halfa too?" asked Maddie.

"She's your clone?" repeated Jack.

"Yeah mom, and yes dad. We established that already."

"Who would do that?" Jack asked while Danny looked at the couch where Danielle was sitting invisibly.

"Danni, come on seriously, they're not gonna hurt you."

Danielle hesitated before she turned visible once more, but she was no longer on the couch. She was standing behind Danny with a worried expression on her face. Danny looked behind him before pointing to the couch beside him. She hesitated before jumping over the back of the couch and into a sitting position. Since her secret was no longer a secret, she reverted back to her human side.

Her hair still retained its previous form, but it was raven instead of white. The red skullcap she had originally worn on the top of her head when she had first made her debut was no longer present. Her green eyes turned the same shade of blue as Danny's, and her lips looked as though there had been fuchsia lipstick present on them. She wore a blue short sleeved shirt with a white long sleeved shirt beneath it. She wore baggy blue pants that stopped just above her feet which had blue and white converses on them. She smiled sheepishly while Tucker whistled at the new look. She was definitely not the same little girl he had first met. She had definitely filled out a bit at the top.

"Tucker…" started Danny, feeling oddly defensive of Danielle and slightly freaked out.

Tucker held up his hands in surrender while Danielle took a deep breath. She looked at Maddie and Jack Fenton who noticed the resemblance to their son was even clearer now than before despite the obvious difference in their sexes.

"Um, to answer your question Mr. Fenton, Vlad would do it…more than once actually."

Jack and Maddie both glared at the girl who immediately took hold of Danny's arm. Danny tried to reassure her that it would be fine, but his parents were really making it hard to do.

"Keep going," Danny told his clone, and she nodded.

"Vlad had been trying to create the perfect clone of Danny so he could have it as his son since he couldn't have the original. That clone was kept in a containment unit because it was unstable and would deteriorate otherwise. Vlad created more clones in hopes of figuring out what the problem was, but he was unsuccessful until he finally did a comparison of the perfect clone and Danny. He realized then that he needed a sample of Danny's mid-morph DNA in order to stabilize the clone."

Danielle shuddered before she looked down at her hands which were currently placed in her lap.

"Out of all of the clones, me and three others survived and were sent out to seek out Danny in order to steal the strands that Vlad needed. I don't know what happened to the others, but I actually had a plan. I masqueraded as Danny's cousin which wasn't as stupid as I had thought since he fell for it."

"Hey!" protested Danny while Danielle held up her hands in surrender.

"No offense! So after I gained his trust, or at least enough of it, Vlad captured him with my help."

"You…you…"

"Mom, chill out and let her finish. Obviously if Danny's claiming her as family, she's trustworthy."

Danielle smiled at Jazz who gave a small smile back. Danielle toyed with her hands a little bit before she continued with her story.

"Vlad had taken Danny back to his hideaway, and tried to get him to transform in order to get the strand of DNA. When that didn't work, he had the remaining clones try to overshadow Danny to force the transformation, but that only caused them to deteriorate. He then turned to me and shouted at me, trying to get me to do it, but I turned on him instead when I realized that he didn't care for me like he said he did and that he wasn't going to stabilize me like he had promised. I freed Danny and together the two of us took Vlad down. Later, it was Danny who managed to stabilize me."

Danny leaned back against the couch while watching his family and friends. Danielle wasn't sure what she was supposed to do, but she couldn't help but feel very awkward. Here she was, the clone of Danny, a work of Vlad Masters, in the Fenton household relaying her story to the last person she thought would accept her for what she was. Danny, sensing her distress placed his arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer for reassurance.

Sam and Tucker looked at each other, both recalling the first time they encountered Danielle. That had been the time they skipped school and nearly got into massive amounts of trouble. If Danielle hadn't overshadowed Danny's mom and Mr. Lancer…

"This is a lot to take in. Cloning is immoral, and I must say I am surprised that it worked for the most part."

"What do you mean, mom?" asked Danny while looking at Danielle.

Maddie looked Danielle over once more before placing her hand on the girl's head.

"She looks like a carbon copy of you, but she is clearly much more than that. Remember when I told you about the differences between spirits and ghosts? Well, your clone, Danielle, has a soul or a spirit. It shouldn't be possible. She should be a mindless drone."

Danielle recalled the other clones that had been created alongside or before her. Out of all of them she was the only clone that really had a mind of her own. She looked down slightly, saddened at the revelation then she looked up. It was clear that she was curious by what that meant.

"So what does that mean, mom? That Danielle isn't my clone?"

"She _is _your clone, Danny, but at the same time she is her own person. It would seem that she has a much bigger purpose than what she was originally created for."

"So a spirit gave her a soul?" questioned Danny, remembering what his parents had been talking to him about before the alarms cut off their conversation.

"Maybe," she replied, clearly skeptical as to the happenings of the day.

Maddie looked to Jack who was looking at her. It was clear the two had the same idea in mind, but they knew that they could never act on it, not even in the name of science. The two shook their heads before looking towards Danielle. The female version of their son looked at the Fenton parents warily before Maddie smiled at her.

"I suppose this makes you a Fenton, wouldn't you say?"

Danielle looked at Maddie, unsure of what she meant. She supposed that since she was comprised of Danny's DNA that it would make her a Fenton.

"I guess?" she questioned, not sure how or why the question was relevant.

Jazz, on the other hand, started piecing together what her mother was saying. Jack, who's expression was as neutral as neutral could be, just watched his wife's attempts to subtly invite Danielle to become part of the family.

"The answer she's actually searching for, Danielle, would be yes," stated Sam with a slight roll of her eyes.

A noticeable trait that Danielle retained from Danny was her clueless-ness.

"Huh?" questioned both Danny and Danielle together in the exact same manner.

Tucker couldn't help but snort at their reactions while Sam shook her head. Danny and Danielle both looked at Maddie, unsure if Sam was correct. Maddie's smile only grew a bit and Danny confirmed that it was true. He was definitely unsure about it though considering his parents' need to know everything about the ghostly spectrum. He trusted his parents, he really did, but Danielle wasn't really their daughter. She was an abomination created by the king of all things fruit loopy. Would his mother try to dissect her?

Danielle was thinking along the same lines, and her nervousness definitely increased in that instant. Maddie's smile wavered a bit before it disappeared. She could tell the girl and even her own son was nervous about this. She just happened to catch her daughter's eye and took note that Jazz was being calculative. In that instant, Maddie understood their worries.

She backed away from Danielle some, giving the younger girl more room.

"I know what you're thinking," started Maddie, looking at Danny, Jazz, and then ultimately Danielle. "You're thinking that I'd put you through painful experiments, but I can assure you that it won't happen."

Danny looked at his mother. He wanted to believe her, but he still had nightmares about the many different things his parents said they were going to do to him before they found out his secret. He had to admit that his anxiety had grown a lot more since then. One of his biggest nightmares had been waking up one morning only to find himself, in his human form, strapped down to the cold table down in the lab. Of course, he kept that nightmare to himself. Not even Jazz knew about it.

"I understand now that there is a lot more to ghosts and _spirits_ than we were led to believe. I also know that you're a Fenton and we Fentons are family, despite how we come into the world, right Jack?"

All eyes turned to the man of the house. The big guy had been listening to his wife off and on, but his thoughts had been on Vlad and Danielle. The girl had been cloned for the soul purpose of being a way for Vlad to get what he wanted, and she had turned on him because of her sense of right, something that she had picked up from Danny _Fenton_ and not Vlad _Masters_.

"You're darn right," said Jack with a smile on his face.

Jack walked over to Danielle and hoisted her up from the couch. At first she was completely alarmed and was about to go intangible until she realized that she was being hefted up on Jack's broad shoulders. Maddie and Jazz smiled, Jazz more so because this would mean that she would have a little sister. That was when her thought process suddenly halted. Would Danielle even stay with them? Heck, where did she stay now?

"Danielle, where have you been living this whole time?"

Everyone looked at Danielle who had gotten a bit teary-eyed at having her own family with no strings attached. Hearing the question that Jazz posed made Danielle pause and then shrug.

"Well, anywhere I can really. I have no real place or destination. I just travel around fighting ghosts where I can and when I can. I rest wherever there's a roof."

Maddie and Jazz seemed appalled as did Sam and Tucker. They had at least thought she'd be living in one of Vlad's less conspicuous hideouts or something.

"Well there's a roof here," stated Jack firmly as he put Danielle down on the floor between him and Maddie.

Danielle looked up at the mountain of a man before turning her attention to Maddie.

"That's right. There's also an extra bed and warm meals everyday."

"I still have some old clothes that should fit too," chimed in Jazz from where she sat.

"I have some clothes that I'm definitely dying to giveaway," added Sam, thinking of all the clothes that were now too small for her which her mother tried to get her to wear when she was younger, and hadn't been thrown out.

Danny didn't respond. His parents, sister and friends continued to talk to Danielle, but he was too busy thinking. Everyone was so accepting of Danielle, and it hadn't been expected. It was one of the reasons why he had never mentioned her to his parents. He had been certain that they would try to track her down and put her in some sort of containment unit to study her or dismantle her or something. He had never expected this, but he had to admit that he was more than happy about the arrangements, especially now that Danielle actually had a place to call home. He had been worried every time she flew off dramatically. Now he wouldn't have to worry as much, and it meant that he would have a little sister that he had something in common with. It would definitely make everything a lot easier.

Danny tuned the conversation back in right when Danielle started naming off the things she liked. Luckily she and Danny had very similar tastes so all the Fentons had to do was rearrange the guest room to Danielle's liking and give her some of Danny's old things that were in storage.

Danielle's mind was racing. She finally had a place to call her own more or less. It was something that she had always dreamed about but figured it wouldn't happen. After all, who would accept a girl like her? She looked like a Danny Phantom ripoff which, she sort of was.

"Does that mean you're staying?" asked Danny to which Danielle turned to him and nodded.

"Great," he said before he stood from the couch to stretch.

"Now, there are some things we're going to have to do to make it official though," stated Maddie, all business.

She turned her attention towards Tucker who had a smile on his face. His position as mayor definitely had it's perks not to mention his status as Techno-Geek.

"Birth certificate, proof of citizenship, and some other stuff, right?"

"As well as a press conference that will have to be held soon considering all that's happened today. People are going to ask questions, and we can't lie about having another daughter. The fact that she looks so much like Danny will only complicate things as will telling the truth about her origin."

Danielle looked a bit discourage; all of this trouble because or her. Was staying with the Fenton's really worth compromising them? What if someone figured something out? What if the Guys in White stuck their big noses into this? Would it be worth it? Danny, sensing his clone-turned-cousin-turned-sister's anxiety walked over to Danielle and placed his arm over her shoulder.

"Why not say that she's my twin sister who had been given up for adoption?" stated Danny. Danielle certainly did look the part of a twin despite the slight height difference.

"I suppose that'll work, but how do we explain the ghost powers?" asked Jazz.

"We'll think of something," stated Tucker, his grin seemingly permanent on his face.

"I guess this means I should go upstairs and rearrange the guest room?" asked Danny, not really noticing his father's inner turmoil..

His mother was on the verge of saying yes until she looked at Danny's poked out chest. He wasn't in his ghost form, but an image of his DP emblem flashed in her mind. That image brought with it the bigger flaming haired ghost that caused all the alarms to start blaring like crazy.

"Not so fast," she said, causing Jack to snap out of his musings and look at his son.

Maddie walked over to Danny and poked him in his chest.

"You're not getting off that easy," she said with the shake of her head.

"I know I promised to tell you about all the ghosts I encountered, but Danielle was a totally different case and I didn't know how to tell you and-"

"No, not Danielle. The flaming headed ghost who shares a similar fashion sense with the two of you."

"Crap," Danny muttered before he turned his attention to the floor, suddenly taking interest in its décor and carpeting.

He had hoped that this whole thing with Danielle would be enough to make at least his parents forget about his alternate future self. Of course, he should have expected a lot more from his mother.

"Right," stated Danny as he flopped back down on the couch. "Him."

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: **I wanted to upload this on March 1st, but I failed to make it to a place with internet access on time. You see, I was out and about because it was my birthday, and my friends dragged me to the mall and then the movies. (I'm not a big mall person, but I bought a TMNT backpack and a Dean Winchester T-Shirt. Oh and free movies since my friend works at the theater. All in all it was a good day, and I completely forgot about you guys. Sorry. :'(

I've only gotten one review recently, and I've been speaking to that individual in private. They brought up a few good points and advice that I do intend to take when I start working on the...sequel. :D (Yes, there will be a sequel.) Anyway, double update. Whoo! It's my reverse birthday present to you guys, though I guess it would be belated or something.

**P.S. I've noticed that, at least in this chapter, has been removing my line breaks. Guys, if this happens PLEASE let me know so I can fix the problem. Chances are you'll be able to tell where the line breaks should go. This also means that previous chapters might not have line breaks so I'll be updating the previous chapters.**

* * *

Chapter Six: Phantom Problems

Danny, started playing with his hands. He had always knew this day would come, but he still wished it hadn't. Maddie grabbed one of the still images that Jack had brought up from the lab and gave it to her son.

Danny looked it over for a moment before he finally spoke.

"That's um, Dan. At least that's what he calls himself now."

Jazz frowned. "Seriously?"

Danny glared at her but nodded his head.

"He's this guy…from the future…"

"With the same emblem as you?" his mother questioned.

"With the same emblem as me…"

Danielle shifted where she sat before she started connecting dots.

"Tell me his name isn't _Dan Phantom_."

Danny glared at Danielle who rolled her eyes. There was definitely a pattern when it came to the _Danny Phantom _moniker.

"He isn't…he isn't you from the future is he?" asked Maddie with a worried scowl on her face.

Team Phantom averted their gaze giving Maddie and Jack the information they needed. Maddie's expression fell a bit while Jack looked conflicted. Jazz and Danny both knew that look, and Danny felt himself beginning to panic, but it was quickly remedied when he told himself that they had no idea of the whole story.

"Half of me…my ghost half. And…er..Vlad's…?"

Jazz choked on the air that she had currently been breathing in. Unlike her parents, she had known who Dan was, but she honestly had no idea that part of that ghost was comprised of Vlad and from the looks of disbelief on Sam and Tucker's faces, neither had they. Maddie, Jack and Danielle had a look of uncertainty and confusion on their faces though Danielle's expression had a slight look of disgust mixed in.

"What the heck did he do in that future?" she asked, her eyes glowing a dangerous green.

"Believe it or not he was actually trying to help me."

"Help? Help you how? By turning you into a deranged psychopath hell bent on causing death and destruction?" asked Sam who had stood to her feet with her arms folded over her chest.

Danny sighed before he looked down at his hands. This was going to be a lot harder than he thought, but if he knew one thing it was that this night would go on forever if he didn't say something to appease not only his girlfriend, but the rest of his family.

"That was a total accident."

"His ghost half and yours accidentally melded together?" asked Maddie, not believing that Vlad did anything by accident anymore.

"Yeah, that was…um, look. This is what happened. You, dad, Mr. Lancer, Jazz, Sam and Tucker all died in a fiery explosion at the Nasty Burger."

Jack and Maddie looked stunned while Jazz, Sam and Tucker recalled the incident with clarity, at least the part when they had all been strapped down to the overheating vat of Nasty Sauce, but after that there was nothing.

"In that time line, I had cheated on the C.A.T. test and Mr. Lancer called a meeting there. Everyone except me was killed in the explosion, and feeling guilty I went to the only person who could completely understand any of what I was going through."

"You went to Vlad?" asked Maddie, looking towards Jack previously recalling the elder male saying something about how he was sure Danny and Vlad had made a connection at the college reunion.

"He didn't go to Jared," muttered Tucker which elicited a jab to the ribs from Sam.

"I went to Vlad, and for once he didn't try any of his world domination stunts. He just took me in and tried to make me comfortable, at least that's what he said and…oddly enough I believed him."

"Wait son, I'm confused," commented Jack while Danny closed one eye.

He had been hoping to avoid mentioning that he had gone time traveling. He had always told his parents that some ghosts knew things of the future, but he had never told them anything more. Maddie glared at her son as she pieced things together.

"You somehow went into the future and talked to him?"

"Y-yeah," Danny mumbled.

He didn't mention Sam and Tucker, not wanting the two of them to get into trouble, and it seemed that they took the hint, each one pretending to still be peeved with Danny, though Tucker was a little more focused with the slight pain Sam had caused.

"Anyway, my future self had begged Vlad to get rid of his human emotions so he wouldn't have to feel the pain of losing his family, and Vlad did."

Maddie covered her mouth, unable to imagine the pain that must have went along with ripping out one's humanity, or she was pretty sure that in Danny's case, it was the separation of his ghost and human halves.

"Apparently Vlad succeeded, but the ghost half of my future self went berserk. It was the ghost half of him that retained all of the emotions. Vlad said that Dan's ghost half was in so much pain that it lashed out, and the first thing that it attacked was the one who he still considered to be a threat. With an invention that Vlad had used to rip out Dan's ghost half, the ghost ripped out Vlad's half and tried to overshadow it."

Jack's eyes widened knowing full well what that meant.

"They were incomplete so when the overshadowing process took place, they merged together instead."

Danny nodded at his dad, then continued where he left off.

"Yeah and Vlad's evil half took over, at least that's what Vlad claimed, but it looks like it retained more from Dan. In fact, the first thing Dan did was kill that future's human Danny."

Everyone gasped while Danny looked out of the window. It was a lot harder to relay all this information to his parents and friends, but he had to do it. He just had to keep going.

"Anyway, I ended up first fighting my alternate self in the future first, but he ended up beating me and coming back here. Jazz tried to stop him, but she couldn't and so she sent me a message via Boo-merang. Apparently the thing went through time and space to find me. That's how I came in contact with Vlad..."

Danny looked at his dad wondering how he was feeling. Deciding to take a small risk, he continued on the Vlad front.

"I had to admit that Vlad surprised me. He had completely changed. He told me that it took losing everything to realize that he had always had something going for him i.e. mom and dad. He had a picture of the three of you in college, and he was really sincere about it too."

Jack didn't respond and neither did Maddie. What could they really say? It wasn't their Vlad after all. Danny had said that Vlad had fought him today, so it was clear to them that he hadn't exactly felt like he had lost everything. He was still up to no good.

When Danny received no reply on the matter, he lowered his head a little bit. He had hoped that maybe his parents would get what he was going for. His hero complex wanted to help save Vlad because he knew Vlad didn't really have anything left any more. His last hope lay in the past which obviously had him grasping at straws...big straws, but straws. His parents, at least his mother, might be able to help the fruit loop.

The non-hero part of him, however, thought that Vlad got less than he deserved. He nearly got the whole planet destroyed because of some stupid vendetta. Heck, his vendetta went so far that it affected everyone around the man involved. One would think that Vlad would understand and take a hike, but no. The guy was too stubborn to see what was in front of him and stop what he was doing.

"Danny?" questioned Danielle in a whisper.

Danny turned towards her and then looked at the rest of the inhabitants of the main room. He had been so busy thinking to himself that he had almost forgotten what he was talking about. Clearing his throat, Danny continued his tale.

"Anyway, I had only ended up confronting Vlad because Jazz had told me to go to Wisconsin 'cause that's where a working portal was. Anyway, With Vlad's help I made my way back to the present and fought him, but by that time he had everything right where it needed to be to make sure his present was set in stone. I managed to beat him, but I couldn't save you guys."

"Then how are we still alive," asked Jack.

"And why don't we remember any of this," Maddie added.

"Remember that spirit I was talking to you about earlier?" Danny said as he looked at his mother who was frowning.

"You mean Clockwork, the one you were continuously able to avoid telling us about?"

"Yeah," continued Danny without missing a beat. "He saved you guys, and that's probably why you guys don't remember anything either. You guys learned my secret..._again_, but you didn't remember so I figured it must have been his doing."

Danny shrugged his shoulders before he looked towards the ceiling, a worried expression on his face. Meanwhile, his parents were processing the information while Sam and Tucker exchanged looks.

After a few minutes Maddie and Jack both looked at each other before they let out a tired and defeated sigh. A moment or so later, Danny and Danielle's ghost sense went off. The twins looked around, unsure what was going on, at least until Danny spotted the clock that was on the wall.

"But the Ghost Shield is up," whined Jack, thinking that some specter had gotten the better of him.

"S'not a ghost," Danny said while staring at the clock which, he'd noticed, read twelve o'clock despite the fact that it was at least thirty minutes past eleven.

* * *

Clockwork and Quasar continued to fight, the area around them constantly feeding them energy which gave them the stamina and strength they needed.

"What do you plan to do, Quasar?"

"Once I get you out of the way, dear brother, I plan to reclaim all that I've created. The Observants will rue the day that they decided to corrupt you and lock me away."

"Corrupt me?"

"Yes, how else do you explain all of this?! You're nothing more than their puppet and if destroying you is what it takes to free you from their hold, then I will do just that!"

Clockwork said nothing as he launched a blast towards his brother which the other was unable to dodge. The blast exploded on impact, causing the youngest brother to spin around wildly. Once he managed to stop himself, he was surprised to see Clockwork's fist inches from his face. There was no time to move out of the way, but he didn't have to. Quasar's eyes flashed violet and a small portal opened up and swallowed the Master of Time's hand giving Quasar time to attack his brother.

Clockwork yanked his hand from the portal before it closed while his brother tackled him and pinned him to the ground.

"I'm surprised, Clock-y. If there's one thing I can say about your enslavement, it's that your fighting has improved."

"You say enslavement, but I chose to work with them. I chose to assist them in your incarceration. You would have destroyed everything, and if you were to cease to exist, I wouldn't know what I would do! It was a hard decision to make but I-"

"You chose them over me, Clockwork."

"No, I chose you. You just can't comprehend that."

Quasar shook his head before he pulled back a fist of pulsing blue energy. Clockwork's own eyes began to shine angrily until they were blue. His body shook and then glowed, and seconds later he had duplicated himself, startling his younger brother which gave Clockwork the chance to phase through the ground beneath his brother and escape.

Each version of Clockwork was different. One was dressed in a black cloak, it's hood covering its head, and it held a scythe in its bony hands. Another of the duplicates was wearing a brown, shaggy loincloth made out of some sort of animal fur. He was holding a club and watching Quasar closely. The last duplicate was wearing a dark green tunic. He was holding a bow and arrow, the arrow aimed directly at Quasar.

Quasar frowned at these turn of events, not expecting his brother to duplicate like this. Even so, Quasar refused to stop in what he was doing. Clockwork deserved his wrath as did everyone who betrayed him.

Quasar closed his eyes and began to move his hands in front of him, making small symbols in the air. Clockwork caught a few of the symbols and knew good and well what his brother was planning. The version of Clockwork with the bow and arrows decided that now would be the perfect time to attack so he pulled back the ghostly arrow on the string until it was taut, then let it fly. The arrow ignited with blue flame as it hurtled towards the Manipulator of Space. Quasar merely opened a portal by will and sent the arrow to who knew where. The other versions of Clockwork decided to try the direct approach, and flew towards the Master of Space.

Quasar watched as they approached. He made no attempt to try to stop them, but instead he focused on drawing his symbols. Meanwhile, the original Clockwork, realizing that he had been stalling long enough, had gone inside Quasar's Keep to retrieve his Time Scepter. The moment he had, he opened a portal back to his tower. Before he could get through it, Quasar had finished with his symbols and shouted, creating a burst of pure energy which disintegrated the clones of Clockwork, and injured the Master of Time himself despite being inside Quasar's Keep. With not much time to spare, he jumped through the portal and landed face down in his tower, or at least what was left of it. Unsure of what he was seeing, he stood there until his thought process began, well, processing.

He began to look around only to catch a glimpse of what was left of the Fenton Thermos. Immediately panic began to set in. He had enough to worry about with Vlad in another time line and his brother on the loose at full power. Now he had to deal with Dan Phantom, the Harbinger of Armageddon .

Clockwork forced himself up and into a nearby room which housed his time medallions. He grabbed a bunch of discolored medallions and made his way out of the room only to be blasted by the last person he had expected to see; an injured Dan Phantom.

"I am just having the worst luck today!" shouted Dan, though when his attack hit the Time Master, he couldn't help but smile. "Seems like you're off your game as well, you meddlesome prick."

Clockwork hovered backwards and spun his scepter around, creating a spectral shield while Dan fired a barrage of attacks at him. The shield deflected the attacks, and caused them to ricochet back to its source. While Dan was momentarily distracted with dodging his own attack, Clockwork pointed his scepter towards the time windows, shutting them down just in case they started working properly. He didn't want Dan skipping through the time stream. That would be even more catastrophic.

The moment the windows were down, Dan shouted after a stray attack hit his chest.

"I wasn't able to do away with Danny, but I will _not _miss my chance to do away with you!"

Clockwork gripped his scepter tightly, ready to deflect Dan's attack once more, but a portal opening up behind the Dark Phantom made his core throb.

"Prepare yourself, Clockwork, for this is where you will meet your demise!" shouted the inattentive evil phantom.

Clockwork bared his teeth while Quasar appeared from the portal behind Dan with an angry scowl on his face.

"So, you escaped my attack, brother? I knew you would. You were always good at retreating."

Dan whirled around, watching as Clockwork's identical twin stopped beside him. Dan's eyes narrowed and he began to get nervous. Clockwork, in his current condition, was barely formidable, but him alongside with his brother…that was a different story entirely, he was sure. Clockwork grimaced before he floated back a pace, holding his staff defensively.

Quasar glimpsed beside him, examining the specter who was staring at him expectantly. The brief exchange was enough for Quasar to understand that the two of them shared a common enemy. Quasar smiled at Dan before turning his attention back towards Clockwork.

"Another person you've done wrong, Clockwork?"

Clockwork said nothing, knowing that the odds were definitely not in his favor. Clockwork shot a blast of energy from his staff, aiming it solely at Dan who was unsure of what to make of Quasar. Luckily for him, Quasar opened a rift which sent the attack through it, then made another one behind Clockwork which allowed the blast to hit him in the back instead, sending him careening forward. Dan looked at the twin of Clockwork. Did he have an ally for the moment? Dan grinned while he stood in front of Quasar, taking in a huge intake of air. While that happened Clockwork readied his scepter, but before he could attack, Quasar glowed. Suddenly a bracelet appeared over Dan's wrist, momentarily catching the specter off guard. Clockwork, however hadn't noticed so when he unleashed his attack, he was stunned to see that it had no effect.

"NO!" shouted Clockwork while looking at Dan.

He couldn't' touch him, and that realization was enough to not just anger Clockwork, but scare him. He was losing control.

Clockwork spun his scepter until it began to form a portal. The moment Dan released his Ghostly Wail was the same moment the portal fully formed. Quasar, who refused to let his brother get away, made another portal in front of the one Clockwork had formed. Clockwork, unaware of his brother's portal, flew straight into it. For a moment he was confused but realization struck him hard in the back. Clockwork turned around, watching as his tower crumbled before his eyes due to Dan's wail. Quasar, who was right in front of him, was smiling with his hand raised; engulfed in a light blue afterglow.

"Enough of this, Clockwork. It's time to end this."

"I'll decide when it's _time_," shouted the Master of Time before firing a blast of his own at his brother while willing a portal to appear behind him.

Clockwork clenched his eyes closed before yelling angrily. His eyes opened wide, blue energy coursed violently over his entire being. The power he was emitting seeped from his core and out through his eyes, much to Quasar's surprise.

In the background, Dan's wailing stopped as the last of Clockwork's Tower fell. He then turned his attention towards the twins who were a good distance away, feeling Clockwork's energy pouring out. He had never felt so much power in one place like this before, and it was enough to keep him glued to his spot. If Clockwork released that energy...it could cause massive amounts of destruction, he could tell. Dan grunted before watching Quasar's body take on a similar action. That was enough to tell Dan that it was definitely time to retreat. There was no reason to get involved in this... _brotherly spat. _Besides, he needed to take it easy and let his own wounds heal. Creating a portal, Dan flew into it leaving the twins to their bickering.

Quasar who hadn't built up nearly as much power as Clockwork had due to his form still needing time to completely adjust, decided to attack his twin right then and there before he built up enough energy. The Space Specter released the little energy he had which sent Clockwork careening into the portal.

"NO!" hissed Quasar angrily after realizing he had been tricked.

Quasar tried to follow, but the portal was abruptly distorted and then dispersed. There was no way he could follow Clockwork now. There wasn't even a trail to trace. It was unbelievable considering that he was the one who controlled all of space, not Clockwork. It was definitely impressive but more so infuriating.

_"_Nice trick," muttered Quasar with a shake of his head.

* * *

Danny continued to stare at the clock, taking note of the faint blue glow that surrounded it. Seconds later the glow expanded out into the size of a portal. It took a moment for the intruder to come through the portal, but when they did it wasn't in the traditional way. Instead, the specter was careening out of control. Danny's eyes widened as he instantly went ghost and caught the specter. The spirit didn't bother to thank Danny but instead closed the portal and smashed the clock for good measure.

"GHOST!" shouted Jack, who was drowned out by the blaring of alarms that had reactivated.

"NO DAD WAIT!" shouted Danny who went over to deactivate the alarms.

Once the blaring stopped, everyone turned to Danny then to the new arrival.

"Is it just me, or is it getting a bit crowded in here?" asked Sam sarcastically.

Danny ignored his annoyed girlfriend and floated over to the unannounced visitor who Danny had leaned against the wall beneath the clock.

"Danny, who is this?" his mother asked, unsure of whether or not to trust her son's opinion this time.

She had glanced at the monitor and noticed that, unlike the last ghost, this one had an unreadable energy, which meant that it was a lot higher up on the ecto-meter. Jack had pulled a weapon from somewhere and was aiming it at the defeated specter, his finger twitching near the trigger.

"This is Clockwork," Danny stated in hopes of keeping his parents from going berserk.

"The Spirit," asked Jack as he somewhat began to lower his weapon.

"And the guy who saved our lives," Jazz chimed in.

She may have known about Clockwork, but she had never seen him before.

"Is he alright," Sam asked as she cautiously approached him.

Danny gave Sam a look that clearly read '_what do you think'_, and Sam shrugged apologetically.

"Standard question."

"He's in really bad shape. Clockwork, can you hear me? What happened?"

Clockwork didn't respond which sent Danny into a panic.

"We have to help him; have to make sure that he doesn't just…cease."

"Danny-" 

"Mom, listen, Clockwork is a really, really important guy and I'll tell you why as _soon_ as we get him down into the lab. Please, just trust me on this."

Maddie nodded her head. She owed this spirit her life and she would help to save its, though she planned to do a little experimenting on the side, but there was no point letting the others know that.

Maddie turned to her husband who wasn't exactly sure what to do.

"Dad, could you take him downstairs," pleaded Danny as he watched his father hesitate.

Jack wasn't sure he liked the idea of having a creature this strong in his house let alone touching it without the proper gear. One look at this son, however, caused Jack's hesitance to disappear. He couldn't let down his only son. Reeling in his nervousness and uncertainty, Jack picked up Clockwork and carried him over his shoulder. He then made his way into the kitchen and down the stairs which lead into their lab. Maddie and Tucker were right behind him while Danny, Sam, Jazz and Danielle looked worried especially after noticing the large amount of ectoplasm that had been left behind by Clockwork.

"He's in pretty bad shape," stated Jazz with her hand inches away from her mouth.

"I told him to let me help, but he was so adamant about me going home that he just sent me here," argued Danny, remembering the events from earlier.

Danny didn't sound too angry, but probably because he was worried. He had never seen Clockwork in such bad shape. In fact, he never knew that Clockwork could look so vulnerable. Sam and Danielle didn't really know what to say in a situation like this, mainly because Danielle had no idea what to make of the spirit and Sam wasn't too trusting of him after the trio's first encounter with him despite Danny's attitude towards him.

Danny decided that he needed to check on Clockwork, and left the three girls alone. He literally flew down the stairs to the lab and watched as his parents hooked a few instruments to him, one of which Danny recognized as a CRM or Core Rate Monitor. Once everything was set up they went over to their computer console and began looking over the readings. Tucker was there with them, watching to make sure that they didn't miss anything.

"Is he going to be alright? Danny asked, concern evident in his voice.

Before anyone could answer, something flew past Danny, his parents and Tucker, then stopped above Clockwork.

"What in blazes-"

"It's his staff," Danny interrupted his father who once again had a weapon at the ready.

"What's it doing," asked Maddie and Tucker while Danny shrugged in response.

The staff was engulfed in a blue energy which flowed downward into Clockwork's body. Clockwork's body then began to glow with the same energy, and he shuddered, but didn't open his eyes. The staff continued feeding its energy into the Master of Time until there was hardly anything left. The staff's glow faded and then it began to fall. Danny, who was glued to the spot was surprised to see a blur of black and white fly pass him only to catch the staff before it hit the still unmoving Spirit of Time.

"Geez Danny, wake up," stated Sam from behind him while Jazz was behind her with her hands covering her eyes.

The trio of girls had followed the staff the moment they caught sight of it moving from where it had landed on the floor. None of them had noticed it until now, but no-one said anything about it either.

"He's stabilizing," stated Maddie who seemed surprised.

"Yeah…" stated Tucker who had a look of relief on his face.

"How's that possible?" asked Jack who was staring wide-eyed at the monitor.

A groan from Clockwork caused everyone to stop what they were doing. Danny rushed towards his friend and mentor and waited for the injured Clockwork to open his eyes. When Clockwork did nothing more than that, Danny lowered his head, at least until Danielle let out a surprised squeak. Everyone turned to her, only to find that the staff was trying to pull away from her.

"Let it go, Danni," instructed Danny.

"Yeah, it might be trying to help," stated Tucker while Maddie nodded.

Danielle did what she was told, and was surprised when the staff immediately flew to Danny. Danny blinked, not understanding why the staff would go to him. The staff floated around in front of him, so Danny moved to the left. That only caused the staff to follow him. He then tried moving to the right only for the same thing to happen.

"Danny, I think it's trying to tell you something," replied Sam with some amusement despite the situation.

"Like…Timmy's in the well?" questioned Tucker which earned him a death glare from both Danny and Sam. "Well, I tried."

Sam shook her head while Danny grabbed the staff. The moment he did he felt the staff begin to siphon some of his energy.

"Danny, let it go!" cried both Jack and Maddie, but Danny only shook his head.

"No, it's okay. It's not hurting me or anything. It's just…recharging I guess."

Everyone watched as the staff continued to siphon Danny's energy. Then, suddenly, Danny's aura turned blue, an indication that he was using his cryokinesis, only he wasn't. Everyone in the room, including Danny, shuddered as the staff became encased in a thin layer of ice. The staff then moved away from Danny, and on to Danielle. Danielle stood stock still as she watched the staff dance in front of her. She then turned to Danny who was looking at his hands. He didn't seem hurt at all. In fact, he looked slightly rejuvenated. Of course, that didn't mean she was going to give up her energy.

"I don't think so," she said to the staff as she placed her arms over her chest and turned her back to it.

"Danni, I think the staff is trying to help Clockwork, but it needs energy."

"Doesn't it have enough of your energy," she asked before turning back to the staff that was still floating in front of her.

"Remember what my mom said? She said that you're not just my clone, but that you're your own person. Heck, you have fire power while I have ice."

"Maybe that's what it wants," stated Tucker as he tapped his finger against his chin.

"Her unique personality?" questioned Sam while Tucker shook his head.

"No, Sam, fire power."

The staff circled around Danielle who could only guess that it was agreeing with Tucker. Danielle begrudgingly held out her hand which the staff laid itself in. Automatically, Danielle's hand closed around it, causing her to panic since she hadn't willed herself to do it.

"Just relax Danni," said Danny with a smile, though Danielle shot him a dark look.

Danielle watched as the staff began to glow a red-orange, and the room began to rise in temperature. Everyone began to sweat a bit, including Danielle, while the staff continued to siphon her energy. Soon the glow around her faded and her palm opened, releasing the staff which floated back over it's master. The staff began to slowly turn, the base of it glowing proudly at it's top. Suddenly the staff produced blue energy then red-orange energy which rained down on the Master of Time.

Everyone watched, clearly uncertain as to what was going on. The staff continued transferring the energy into Clockwork until it had nothing left. Once more it began to fall from the where it had been floating, but it was suddenly encased in blue energy. Clockwork opened his eyes and made a pained noise before reaching up and plucking his staff out of the air.

"Clockwork!" shouted Danny, who was surprised at the startled movement that Clockwork made.

The time manipulator sat up, a tad surprised at all the things that had been connected to his face. His eyes glowed for a moment, and the items that were stuck to him seemed to remove themselves from his person. He then turned to face the occupants of the room. It took him a moment to realize that Danny, his family and friends were standing nearby.

"Danny…," muttered Clockwork when he realized where and why he was at Fenton Works.

Clockwork was about to reach into his cloak when he heard the cocking and whirring of three separate weapons. Danny turned to face his parents and his girlfriend. His parents and girlfriend went into overprotective mode, each of them having pulled out some sort of weapon. Danny motioned for them to stand down, but they refused though they didn't fire either.

Clockwork continued what he was doing, and pulled out enough medallions for everyone in the room, minus himself.

"These were never to be used…there was never supposed to be a reason to use them…"

"Clockwork," asked Danny as he took hold of the different medallions.

"Like you said, there is a way to keep him from harming you…That and…I was too late. Vlad is in the past."

"Crud." Danny put the medallion hastily over his neck before passing the rest to Tucker.

"Awesome bling," stated Tucker as he put one over his own head then passed them to Danielle.

Danielle took one and examined it. She wasn't exactly sure what it was supposed to do, but seeing Danny and Tucker put them on reassured Danielle that they were safe to wear. She placed one of the medallions over her head then tossed one over to Sam, Jack, Maddie and Jazz. Jazz put hers over her head, then began to examine it, while Jack and Maddie shied away from them, letting them hit the floor. Sam lowered her weapon and caught the thrown medallion before holding it in the air and looking towards the Master of Time.

"I don't care if you have helped Danny in the past, it doesn't make me trust you or your jewelry."

"Sam-" started Danny only to be cut off by Clockwork.

"It is to be expected. Our first meeting...hadn't exactly left a good impression on you, but it was for the best. This time, I am afraid that...that medallion is the most I can do for you if something were to go awry."

Sam frowned before she placed the medallion over her head. Jack and Maddie didn't bother retrieving theirs because, quite frankly, they didn't trust the spirit before them.

"Clockwork, what happened?" asked Jazz, who felt very informal considering this was her first face to face confrontation with the spirit.

"I was defeated by my brother and…Dan."

"Dan? He went back to the tower?"

"Yes."

"Yes? That's it? Clockwork, that's terrible!"

"You honestly do not know the half of it."

"No **I** don't, but of course, **I** don't know everything," stated Danny with the fake-est smile he could muster.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," started Maddie, who was staring at Clockwork who had been about to retaliate to Danny's smug comment.

Clockwork's gaze lingered on Danny who's expression turned stoic before turning his gaze towards Maddie.

"My apologies, Mrs. Fenton. I am-"

"Clockwork and you're some sort of spirit," interrupted Jack who had the same look his wife had.

"Mom, dad, chill out. He's a friendly."

"He's a spirit, and they can be unpredictable," replied Maddie.

"How do you know? Two hours ago you didn't even know they existed!" argued Danny.

"She's right though, some spirits can be quite unpredictable," Clockwork chimed in.

"Not helping," muttered Danny before turning back to his parents.

"What do you specialize in, Clockwork," questioned Maddie.

She figured it was better to ask the one in question, that is, if he would speak honestly.

"Time."

"Time," questioned Maddie and Jack together.

"In your world, I am referred to as Father Time-"

"Which is a good reason for you to put down your weapons and NOT blast him," stated Danny as he watched his parents do a double take.

"On one condition. Prove it," stated Jack, who still had his gun at the ready.

Before Danny could remind his dad of the whole life saving incident times two, Clockwork spoke.

"Back in 1982, before you and Madeline got together, you and Vlad had been experimenting which lead up to a very particular backwash incident which happened on the third floor second corridor restroom-"

"OKAY!" shouted Jack as he lowered his weapon while immediately averting his gaze towards the shiny new floor tiles.

Danny really didn't want to know and was a bit glad that his dad ended that conversation.

"Clockwork, how are you feeling right now?" asked Danielle since everyone had decided that Jack was much more interesting to look at.

"I am fine for the moment, but in this world it will take me a tad longer to regain my energy."

"Then why not just go back to the Ghost Zone," she questioned, though she had a feeling that it was because of his brother and this deranged phantom.

Clockwork smiled at her fondly before his stoic expression took over.

"I am afraid that there isn't anywhere for me to go. In fact, I'm sure that there will be a flood of ghosts running here soon."

"You mean your tower-" started Danny.

Clockwork nodded.

"It seems that when Dan broke out of his thermos, he decided to cause a bit of havoc on my lair before he came here to confront you. When he returned and found me there trying to bide some time before my brother arrived, he decided that it would be a good time to finish me. I could have immobilized him, no problem, but my brother arrived."

"And let me guess, the two teamed up?"

"As I could not touch Vlad, I am unable to touch Dan. My tower, my home, has been completely decimated as well, and let's not forget that Vlad is in the past."

"Oh great, just perfect! So what do we do now?" asked Tucker who was beginning to panic.

Sam looked at the medallion over her neck before looking at the Master of Time.

"These medallions, what exactly are they supposed to do? They're different from the other ones."

Tucker looked at his while Danny glimpsed at his as well. Instead of being gold with a CK in the middle, they were outlined in gold and the center of them had a swirling vortex of blue and purple in it.

"They will protect you from the shifting of space and time. They will also protect you in case my brother tries to attack you. I know that I cannot keep you from trying to stop this threat, so I might as well do my part to help you. I am sure my superiors will be able to keep the Ghost Zone from going through the changes your world will face."

Maddie picked up the time medallions that she and Jack had let fall to the ground. She looked at them while Jack continued to stare at Clockwork. He had Father Time right there in his lab, and the guy was looked terrible. Whatever his staff had done to help him certainly did wonders, but the guy was still covered in scars that were seeping with green ectoplasm.

Before Jack could say something, his body began to flicker in and out of existence. At first, no-one but Jack noticed. It was only when Jack tried to place his weight on the table and he fell through it did everyone seem to notice.

"Jack!" cried Maddie who was instantly to her husband's side.

She looked around, confused as to what was happening, then she realized that it was because of Vlad's meddling. She took the medallion and placed it over Jack's head right before he went intangible again. Jack's form stabilized, but he found himself in a daze. He didn't try to move, and that had Maddie worried. Everyone except Clockwork walked towards him, hoping that he would be alright, but Maddie shooed them away, wanting to give her husband some breathing room.

"If you really are the Master of Time," started Maddie. "Then aren't you supposed to keep the time streams orderly? Having Vlad in the past is obviously effecting the present."

"Yes, you are correct, but I am afraid that my hands are tied. As I mentioned, I am unable to touch Vlad at the moment meaning that my powers will not effect him."

"Can't you send one of us back there then? How hard can it be to find Vlad in the 80s?" asked Tucker confidently.

"How hard is finding a guy who can turn invisible and knows the areas layout?" answered Sam sarcastically.

"We can track his ecto-signature?" Tucker offered with a slight frown.

"Vlad and dad used to dorm together in college, but I never got to see their room, just the lab. I know a little bit of the college's layout."

"I know the layout perfectly, but the problem is the ghost battle that will most likely occur," stated Clockwork wearily before he found himself laying on his back.

"Easy, CK," soothed Danny before turning to his mother who was helping his dad sit up.

"A ghost battle at the University isn't such a good idea…it could have so many repercussions on everyone nearby, including us…it could change so much," she spoke while rubbing Jack's back.

"You might just have to leave Vlad back there…" Jazz spoke up as she rubbed her time medallion.

"My brother will not abandon Vlad. He will no doubt retrieve him, but by then the damage will be done. It is why I have given you all the medallions. You are in my protection and will remain together even if everything is torn apart."

"Torn apart?" questioned everyone.

"There is a chance that the Space/Time continuum will be thrown into chaos, after all, when my brother and I clash-"

"Who's this brother of yours?" questioned Sam, though it was clear that Maddie had pieced it together.

"My brother is the Spirit of Space."

"Space as in Outer or what?" asked Tucker, clearly trying to keep it all together.

"Space, dimensions…"

Everyone turned to look at Danny who was rubbing his neck nervously.

"Like I said, family issues."

**TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: Troubled Times

It had been a strange journey through time for Vlad. He had been forced into the vortex with little to no warning and so he wasn't prepared for the journey. He had always imagined the trip through time to be quick and painless, but he had been wrong. This particular trip wasn't physically painful though, but mentally. Every ordeal and incident he had went through had been recalled with painful clarity, and they didn't stop until he reached his destination.

Now, reaching his destination was physically painful since he hadn't been aware of which way was up or down until he hit the sidewalk in his human form. Vlad looked at his hands and his clothes, noticing his shoddy looking appearance. It had been awhile since he had groomed properly. His hair was definitely longer and shaggier. His normally tailored suit seemed overly large for his small frame, and his shoes had holes in the bottom.

With shake of his head he began to move. He needed to know what the date was, after all, he hadn't mentioned a date to Quasar, just a year and the place. He had been so nervous that he neglected the date, something that he hoped he wouldn't come to regret. As Vlad walked he took notice of the different people and their attire, recalling that yes, this was how he and other people dressed in the 80's. Of course, his choice of attire hadn't been that ghastly, mullet still withstanding.

Vlad continued to walk while ignoring the stares from the occasional bystander. It was obvious that they wanted to pester him, but knew that he wasn't in the mood to be bothered. It was definitely shown in his body language. Eventually Vlad reached a stand that sold newspapers and he glanced the date.

"Impressive. He got the date correct." Vlad muttered to himself before realizing that Quasar had possessed him earlier.

It was obvious that Quasar had known everything he needed to know from the beginning. That spirit was definitely odd if not annoying. Vlad grit his teeth. He hated being played with, but now wasn't the time to dwell on it. It was the correct date, year and month. The only problem now was that he had no idea what the time was.

"What time is it?" he all but shouted at the guy inside the newspaper stand.

Startled, the redheaded male with a red, white, and blue shirt jumped, nearly knocking down a stack of papers.

"Hey man, mellow out."

Vlad looked at the male, his eyes flashing red before he calmed down. He didn't need to draw any unwanted attention to himself. He just wanted to get in and get out and hopefully back to his time. The kid gulped before he looked down at his watch.

"S'like six-fifty, man."

Vlad nodded his head. He was definitely early which meant that he had plenty of time. First thing on his list was to get some clothes that would allow him to fit in better. He could only avoid the stares and whispers for so long.

The guy working the newsstand continued to stare at Vlad. He wasn't sure if he should call the cops to get him help or to just leave him alone and hope he went about his business. Vlad turned to the male and gave him what was known in his time as his _winning smile_.

"Thank you my good man."

With that, Vlad walked off with an actual smile on his face. Things were going his way, and with that bracelet on his wrist, he didn't have to worry about Clockwork meddling, at least that was what Quasar had said, and it was obviously true considering how Clockwork's powers had no effect on him.

"Now where was that blasted clothing store again?"

* * *

It didn't take Vlad very long to get fed up with walking around in search of a clothing store. Ducking into an empty alley, Vlad switched into his ghost form and took invisibly to the skies. The last thing he wanted was for someone to see him. From his current position, he saw many places of interest. The first thing he spotted was one of his former favorite fast food joints. He would definitely make a stop there. He hadn't had anything good for quite some time.

He then took notice of a small thrift store. The thought sent chills through his already cold body, but he was in need of clothing befitting of this time if he wanted to draw less attention to himself. He couldn't remain in his ghost form the entire time.

"Butter biscuits," he snapped as floated into the thrift store.

The man shuddered as he began to look through the different types of used clothing. He really wished that he didn't have to wear any of it, but he knew that this was a logical tactic. He didn't want to draw any attention unwanted or otherwise, and that meant that he needed to blend in with the people of this time. He rubbed his head before he spotted something he figured would be adequate enough. He placed his hand against a few things and turned them invisible before he retrieved them from the shelves. He then walked towards an isle in the store which held a different assortment of bags. Spying a lettuce green colored bag with traces of gold lining the sides, he walked over to it and turned it invisible before taking the items into a changing room.

Though he was invisible, he refused to remove his clothing in the middle of the store. He wasn't a Neanderthal. He reverted, invisibly, to his human form and began to remove his tattered clothing and worn out shoes. He then looked at the items he had picked up. One was merely a light yellow shirt with green zigzags. He put on a pair of beige slacks afterward. Once he finished, he put on his shoes and dumped his old clothing into the duffel-bag. He then left the store via intangibly walking through the walls. Once he was outside and was sure that the coast was clear, he let his invisibility drop. He scratched at the back of his head, unintentionally causing the band in his hair to give way and snap.

"Oh for the love of..." Vlad pinched the bridge of his nose irritably before removing the broken fabric/elastic from his hair. He ran his fingers through it a couple of times to make it at least look somewhat presentable.

"Can this get any worse?" he snarled only to regret those words when someone bumped into him full-forced.

"Would you watch where you're..."

The words caught in his throat when he realized just who it was who had bumped into him.

"Oh man, sorry about that. I hadn't been watching where I was goin'," stated the young man with a black mullet that just barely went past his shoulders with a streak of gray running through the middle.

He was wearing a Green Bay Packers sweater and beige pants with red and white sneakers. He looked as though he was in a rush. Collecting himself, Vlad straightened up and dusted invisible dust from his shirt.

"It's fine," he stated, wincing at how his voice shook. He cleared his throat before asking, "You wouldn't happen to know what time it is, would you?"

The younger man gave Vlad a skeptical look before shrugging and looking at the watch he wore on his wrist. It was green and gold with the Packers logo on the face of it as well as the green and yellow band that kept it on his wrist.

"Seven twenty-two," he stated, almost in a panic, and Vlad knew why.

It was near eight o'clock, and this particular male needed to be in the Science Building at the Wis. U. Campus which was pretty far from their current location.

"Thank you," Vlad stated as the younger man nodded and ran off.

Vlad rubbed his hands nervously, wondering what sort of repercussions this sort of situation had. After all, he just had a conversation with his younger self, and he couldn't remember that confrontation happening nor the reason why he had been running late to begin with. Besides, he stayed in an apartment pretty close to the campus, so why was he so far away from it?

"Very peculiar," he muttered as he shimmered out of the visible spectrum after making sure the coast was clear.

Vlad changed to Plasmius and began to trail after the young Vlad Masters who, despite being very intelligent, was doing very stupid things such as running across the street despite the light being yellow. Plasmius knew for a fact that a lot of people attempted to beat the light to get where they were going despite yellow meaning yield. It was just as dangerous as crossing a street while the light was green.

Plasmius shook his head, unable to recall ever being so reckless. He gave an exasperated sigh as he continued to follow his college self towards the campus. A few times he had to close his eyes from the sheer stupidity of his younger self. The few times he didn't was when he made the choice to intervene, albeit cautiously like turning a stop sign intangible to prevent himself from running face first into it. Of course his younger self had been too preoccupied by looking at his watch to even notice the near collision.

A few dozen close calls later and the two Masters were on the Wis. U campus. College Vlad gave a slight sigh of relief before he collapsed against the side of the science building while Plasmius was watching with his hand upon his heart like he was having a heart attack. He had been terrified at watching himself almost throw away his life, although, he couldn't help but think, that it would have been simpler to just get hit by a car than to live his life all the way up to the point where he blew everything he had on a very cliched world domination tactic.

"Idiot," Plasmius mumbled lowly to himself, but what he was referring to could have meant anything. "And speaking of," he continued as his eyes trailed over to the form of something fat and orange.

College Vlad, who had gotten his strength back, rushed forward with a crooked smile on his face. The fat man in orange grinned at the sight of his best friend, and threw out his hand for a high five. Plasmius watched in horrified shock as the younger version of himself and the younger version of Jack Fenton, did their, at the time, _Super-Underground-Brother-Handshake_ or something like that. He couldn't exactly remember what it was called. College Jack and Vlad started with a simple up high five, but instead of connecting, their hands passed down low. Once down low their hands connected. They brought their hands back up to the middle of their chests and clenched them tightly. Jack then placed his free hand on their joined hands with Vlad following suit. The two then immediately threw there hands into the air. Before their hands made it above their heads, their elbows bumped together gently. Once their hands finally reached above their heads, they gave a high ten and laughed, ignoring the snickering and name calling coming from some of the spectators. Even Plasmius had to admit that it looked stupid.

"Geez V-Man, you cut it kinda close. I like, totally thought that you flaked on us."

"Oh please, Jack, you know I wouldn't bail out on something that's this important to you...or Maddie."

Jack looked at Vlad with a knowing smile before he nudged him roughly in the ribs causing the other man to wince and slightly shy away, although Jack was to oblivious to notice the other man's discomfort.

"So is today the day you finally ask her or what, dude?"

Vlad's face turned bright crimson before he looked away, though that only made Jack move around to attempt to get a look at his best friend.

"Yes Jack, it is," stated Vlad as he turned towards the science building.

The two college students began to make their way inside with the current Vlad, still in the guise of Plasmius, following behind them. He had to admit that he was pretty shocked at just how much of a brother Jack had been to him, granted he was an oblivious oaf and that handshake had to have been his idea, but...well, it had been nice.

At eight o'five the trio of college students consisting of Jack, Maddie, and Vlad were finishing up their work on the prototype ghost portal. College Vlad was fidgeting with his hands as he mentally prepared himself for the talk with Maddie. He would glance in her direction occasionally as she worked and he would get this dopey love sick look in his eyes. Her curly auburn shoulder length hair bounced as she walked around checking the machine's components. Her purple leg warmers matched both her earrings and the shirt which Vlad could tell was beneath the white lab coat that wore.

Floating above the trio, was a bored looking Plasmius. He rolled his eyes at his younger self knowing that if he had been confident enough to ask Maddie out, he would have been shot down sooner. It would have saved him years of pain. Then again, he was pretty sure that if Maddie shot him down there, she and Jack would have started dating soon after. He would've then accused Jack of stealing Maddie which meant, no matter how things turned out, he would have still ended up hating Jack. He probably just would have been without ghost powers.

Plasmius pinched the bridge of his nose. It was clear that his life was doomed from if not the start then the day of the prototype portal malfunction. Plasmius had to keep himself from giving a derisive snort lest he wanted to bring attention to himself. Instead he turned his gaze towards Jack who was drinking a diet cola. He raised a brow as he watched Jack then sit it down near the Ecto-Purifier. He blinked. When he blackmailed Danny into finding a cure for that Ecto-Acne, hadn't the boy said something about the irregularities being similar to that of...

_'That idiot,'_ thought Plasmius bitterly as he shook his head.

He was just about to fly downward and possess the oaf when he thought better of it. He had to focus. He didn't want to do anything too bad. He had come to change the past to better his future or present. Whatever. It merely meant that if he wanted to keep his college version's relationship with the people who had been his best friends at the time, then Jack couldn't be killed. The whole plan was making his head hurt, especially considering the things he was realizing now that he was actually able to witness his college days from a third person's bird's eye view.

Plasmius rubbed his temples with his fore and middle fingers then resumed looking at the trio when he heard his younger self speak.

"Maddie, there's something I've been wanting to tell you for a long time now, and-"

"One second, Vlad," stated Maddie while she looked over a few things and turned to Jack.

Plasmius looked down at his younger self and saw the hurt in his eyes. He was shot down before he even had the chance to ask out the woman of his dreams. Of course, the younger version of himself thought that he would get another opportunity later that day when this whole thing was over with. Plasmius knew how that would turn out, which caused him to eye Jack.

"Jack, did you remember to fill the filtrater with Ecto-Purifier?"

Plasmius bristled before he sprang into action. He grabbed hold of the soda and turned it invisible before yanking it off the table and nudging the purifier forward.

"On it, baby!" shouted the blundering and overly hyper man who was focusing his full attention on some papers in his hand.

It was just as Plasmius calculated. If he hadn't removed the diet cola, Jack would have grabbed that instead of the purifier and poured it into the filtrator. He couldn't help but be relieved, but he had a feeling that he was still needed. He knew that Jack had also been incorrect with his calculations.

Plasmius looked at the diet cola in his hands and silently sneered at it before he put it on another table in the corner of the room where no-one would notice. He then moved intangibly and invisibly over to his younger self, shadowing him for he, of course, knew what was about to transpire.

Vlad, who was obviously miffed about being cut off so abruptly, shivered at a sudden cold feeling, wrapped his arms around himself. Other than that, he ignored the cold in favor of taking his frustration out on his best friend. He momentarily glanced at the portal then back to Jack with an unimpressed look in his eyes.

"I'm telling you Jack, it won't work," he stated as he threw his hands into the air.

Jack was used to his friend downing the portal and it's ability to function. He just smiled at Vlad and stood beside a beaming Maddie.

"Bogus V-Man, it totally will. This portal is guaranteed to bust open a portal into the ghost dimension."

Vlad snorted at his best friend as both he and Maddie turned their backs to him to continue with the last minute checks. Maddie picked up a piece of paper that Jack had been working on for days. It was the mathematical equations that he had been working on for the portal. Maddie frowned at the notes while Vlad looked over the portal with a skeptical eye.

"Jack, these calculations aren't right," Maddie said as she mentally started reworking the equations in her head.

Of course, Jack didn't seem to hear her because if he did, he most likely wouldn't have pressed the button which activated the prototype portal.

"BANZAI!"

Vlad, who hadn't moved from the portal, was startled by his friend's outburst, but was too stunned at the swirling mass of forest and emerald green swirls of ectoplasm that flowed between the opening of the prototype Ghost Portal. Vlad's brow rose just as the portal began to spark. Vlad was too startled to move, but luckily Plasmius was not. Plasmius quickly raised a magenta colored force field around the younger version of himself, Jack, and Maddie with the portal on the outside. Jack and Maddie were startled, no doubt thinking that it was something caused by the malfunctioning portal. The beam of electrically charged ectoplasm shot from the portal and smacked the front of the shield where Vlad's face had been only seconds before. This caused the younger Vlad to give a startled yelp and stumble backwards. Jack and Maddie were startled as well, but more so by the fact that the electrically charged beam continued to dance around the room until it hit the shield again. The energy dissipated as it smashed the shield which seemed to crack and fizzle out. The trio stood there, shocked, before Vlad and Maddie turned their attention towards Jack, each one of them sporting an angry scowl on their faces.

Jack looked to the two of them, giving him his biggest innocent smile.

"My bad," he stated apologetically.

Vlad slapped his hand to his forehead before he shook his head.

"Dude, that blast could have hit me! I could have become horribly disfigured, or worse, died or somethin', ya know?!"

Plasmius snorted at the irony behind it, though he hadn't realized it out loud until the college version of Maddie turned in his direction. He winced at her critical and calculating stare, but couldn't exactly find the right words to explain his sudden and unexpected appearance.

"It was an accident V-Man. Besides, didn't you see it? Didn't you see the Ghost Zone?!" asked Jack who obviously hadn't heard the newcomer.

Jack was beaming while Vlad was seething. Didn't his best friend care about the danger that he had put them through? Sure Jack was happy-go-lucky, oblivious, the occasional slacker, and...well, the list could go on.

"Oo! Maybe it would have given you freaky ghost powers!"

Vlad glared at his best friend who was trying to be very optimistic about the situation. Jack's expression turned to one of sadness and guilt which caused Vlad to somewhat let up on the death glare.

"I really didn't mean any harm. I guess I just got really excited. I mean, you're my bro, V-Man, I wouldn't try to hurt you intentionally or unintentionally, hence the accident part."

Vlad rubbed his head before he ran his hand down the front of his face.

"Yes I know that, but would it kill you to be a lot more careful when it comes to stuff like this? What if you blew up the science building like you did your apartment?"

Jack's face grew even sadder at the reminder. It had been the main reason why he and Vlad shared dorms. No-one wanted to rent him an apartment and no-one wanted to risk sharing a dorm with the _bumbling_ Jack Fenton.

"I get it, and I really am sorry."

Vlad was still mightily ticked, and he wasn't going to let this incident go, but he wasn't going to continue to play on what ifs. After all, he did get to see what he assumed was the Ghost Zone, and as the terror passed, he had to admit that he was excited.

"And yes, I did see the Ghost Zone," he said to his friend who took the hint that no, he wasn't off the hook, but the subject was being somewhat changed.

"You hear that Mads?" Jack asked as he wrapped a meaty arm around Vlad's shoulders much to the slightly shorter man's annoyance. Vlad could only sigh at his best friend, but when the woman didn't respond, the two turned turned to look at her. She was kneeling on the ground with her back to them, and there was another person in the room. The two males made their way over to her and the male who was on the floor looking at his hands.

"Who's he?" Jack asked, with nothing more than curiosity.

Vlad immediately recognized him as the man he had told the time to that morning. Question was, who was he and why was he there? Plasmius, who was no longer in ghost form, was mentally cursing. While he was protecting the trio, his powers had been fading. He had poured everything into keeping his shield up and eventually the ball of electrically charged ectoplasm fizzled out. When that happened, he realized that his powers had completely fizzled out as well. He had immediately reverted to human and his powers no longer worked. It wasn't like he had forgotten that it was going to happen, because of course he knew that preventing the incident would prevent him from gaining powers, that was partially the point of this ordeal after all, but he had at least hoped that his powers wouldn't have disappeared immediately but gradually instead.

"I'm not sure," answered Maddie as she gently placed her hand on Plasmius 's shoulder.

"He's not a teacher, I think," said Jack as he went to grab a chair.

Vlad just crossed his arms, uncertainty in his eyes. He knew this was the guy that he had given the time to, but what was he doing here? Had he been followed? Now, he was sure he hadn't seen anyone trailing him, then again he wasn't exactly aware of his surroundings.

Plasmius looked up as Jack brought back a chair for the other to take a seat in. Both Jack and Vlad gently pulled the slightly jarred Plasmius to his feet and put him in the chair while Maddie filled up a clean measuring cup with water.

"Here," she said as she gave him the measuring cup.

Plasmius looked at it for a moment before he took a sip, surprised at how cold the water was. Normally tap water, which he had barely drank to begin with, wasn't as cold as this. It must have been an effect of losing his powers.

"Thank you Mad-Madam, that really hit the spot." Plasmius shook his head. He had almost let it slip that he knew Maddie by name. That wouldn't have been good especially when he had his younger self breathing down his neck.

"What are you doing here," Vlad asked, not bothering to hide just how he was feeling. Jack and Maddie looked at their friend, surprised at how openly rude he was being.

Plasmius racked his brain with any suitable explanation before he remembered that Maddie had he and Jack post fliers around the campus, telling people when and where their experiment would take place just in case other people were interested in the paranormal.

"I saw one of your fliers," he answered slowly.

Maddie seemed to smile as did Jack. Vlad didn't seem like he was really buying it, but it seemed like the only plausible explanation.

"I didn't think the two of you actually posted the fliers, well, at least not Jack."

Both Vlad and Plasmius smiled at that, though Plasmius hid his smile by taking a sip of water. Jack frowned a bit though Maddie's smile ended up making him chuckle.

"I know I have a track record, but ya gotta have more faith in me, Baby Cakes."

Vlad rolled his eyes before his attention was drawn back to Plasmius.

"So you're interested in ghosts? It didn't seem like that when we first met earlier today."

Plasmius cringed. Was he really that obnoxious? Well, Daniel certainly made a habit of pointing it out, but really, he was just one person and a child at that. Then again there were Daniel's little friends, but their opinion was certainly biased.

"Yes well, looks can definitely be deceiving," he muttered as he discreetly looked over his younger self and his attire. Luckily his wardrobe had changed for the better. Then again...

Plasmius looked down at his person when he realized just how similar he and his younger self had been dressed. Plasmius didn't know if it was a coincidence or not, but he had chosen an almost exact copy of what his younger self was wearing.

Jack moved towards the older man with a huge grin on his face.

"There aren't many people into the paranormal! Well, there was this one guy, but he was more into aliens I think. Anyway, what sorts of things do you know about ghosts? We could trade and compare notes!"

"Jack, give the man some breathing room," stated Vlad. He was still wary of the older man. "We barely know anything about him. In fact, we don't even know this man's name. He could be some poser or he could work for the Man to steal our secrets, or maybe he could be-"

"Mellow out, Vladdie," stated Jack as he slapped Plasmius on his back the moment the man actually decided to start drinking his water instead of sipping it.

The man nearly choked on the liquid, but he didn't respond.

"He isn't like that, are ya guy?"

Maddie frowned. She did agree with Vlad. There had been a few times where people tried to get their information. Others were just in it to tease them or some such nonsense, not to mention they really didn't know the name of this unexpected visitor or how he even got into the room without them knowing. It was much too sketchy for not only her but Vlad as well.

"Vlad has a point," stated Maddie which seemed to bring Jack's enthusiasm down.

Plasmius rolled his eyes but didn't intervene. He had to think of a name to call himself because he knew that was the main thing they wanted to know.

"Dalvin."

"Pardon?" Vlad asked when Plasmius spoke.

"My name is Dalvin."

"Nice to meet ya, Vinnie!" shouted Jack happily.

Plasmius grinned outwardly and winced inwardly. Dalv Inc without the 'c' was what he decided to name himself? 'Dalvin' rose to his feet and straightened his shirt before he looked towards the clock. His work was done here, so why wasn't he being 'poof'd' to his new reality? He looked around the room, genuinely confused until Jack clapped a hand on his shoulder.

"You alright, Vinnie?" he asked. Plasmius wanted to say something until his younger self cut in.

"Don't you think you should be a little less formal?"

Jack looked genuinely oblivious until the bracelet on Plasmius's wrist started to glow. The trio looked at the bracelet only for Plasmius to shove his hand into the pocket of his slacks. He quickly excused himself and rushed from the room leaving a confused trio of college students.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Jack smiled.

"He sure was nice."

Vlad face-palmed while Maddie gaped at Jack. Vlad then began to look around the room at the mess they had unintentionally made.

"Yeah as 'nice' as that guy was, I don't think I care for him. He seems sketchy to me. Anyway, we should probably get this mess sorted out before the Dean pops up," stated Vlad as he cringed.

Jack and Maddie hopped to attention, also taking note of the mess. The trio shared a look of urgency before they each set off to clean separate corners of the lab before converging in the middle in a final sweep.

* * *

Plasmius ran into a secluded area between the dormitories and looked at his glowing bracelet. He frowned at it when the glow seemed to get duller.

"I'd rather not be stuck here," he muttered to the bracelet.

"We wouldn't want that," stated Quasar's voice through the bracelet, which somewhat startled Plasmius. He hadn't been expecting that.

Before Vlad could say something, the bracelet engulfed him in a vibrant display of violet and sky blue light. Vlad was startled, but he didn't protest. His whole body felt light which was remedied in a second by the sudden feeling of extreme gravity pulling at him from all directions. A scream tore from his body, but he wasn't aware of it. In fact, he wasn't aware of anything, and when he woke up...it was on a bed?

Navy blue eyes opened slowly as the bright morning sun shown in through a window to the left. His eyes scanned the dull green room until they locked on to the flat screen TV which hung from the wall at the foot of the bed. It was set to CNN, but the volume was low so it wasn't too loud or noticeable.

The man sat up and stretched in his king sized before he yawned and ran his fingers through his shoulder length raven locks with a gray streak through the middle. He then scratched his chin which was covered by his black goatee which he had recently shaped up. He pulled the covers away and swung his legs over the side of the bed and inserted his feet into his green and gold Packers house shoes. He smiled at the Christmas present he had received from his best friends, Jack and Maddie, who were happily married.

At first, Vlad hadn't been happy about it because he never got his chance to date Maddie, but he had gotten over it, realizing that Maddie had been too much of his type anyway. The two of them were woven from the same cloth, more or less, and Vlad felt, eventually, that it was true that opposites attracted. Vlad shook his head before he stood up on his plush lavender throw rug. He proceeded out of his room and down the hall until he entered a small bathroom with a tub, a sink, and a toilet.

He washed his face and brushed his teeth before putting his raven locks into a ponytail. Once he was satisfied with the outcome, he made his way back into his room and went straight into the closet. He began to rummage around for something to wear. He was supposed to meet up with Jack and Maddie to discuss a new theory about ghosts. The trio had become a lot more immersed in their experiments with the paranormal ever since their close encounter with the portal back in college. They had completed a full sized, functioning portal in the Fenton's basement laboratory which they had kept under a tight lock that allowed only the three of them entry.

The three of them had only used the portal once, and that was only because Jack decided to tie a rope around his waist, tie it something else, and take a literal leap of faith. Jack had been complaining earlier about wanting to check out the Ghost Zone and not having their invention, the Spooky Speeder, up and ready for the immediate journey. Vlad had tried to pull Jack back in, and as a result he himself somehow got pulled inside. It was an odd feeling, but it didn't feel uncomfortable, at least not to him. Jack stated something about feeling '_The cold touch of Death's iron grip pulling him into an abyss', _but Vlad never felt that way. He had felt, oddly enough, at home though he never brought it up to his friends. They'd probably think he was crazy.

A few years later though, the married couple had to take it easy because of their first child, then later on their second and third.

Jazmine, the oldest who had Maddie's hair color, though it was a bit darker thanks to Jack's influence no doubt was twenty two and was trained in the art of fighting thanks to her mother being a ninth degree black belt, though this usually led to her getting into fights. She was a smart girl, but it seemed that she was more of a wild child than a down to earth girl. Vlad had often joked about how Jazmine was just like her aunt Alicia.

David was the middle child who took after his father in the looks department, though he was lanky and had his mother's hair color. His hair was almost identical to the mullet his father wore back in college. David also wore glasses mainly for reading. He was twenty and didn't too much care about the paranormal, something which he shared with the rest of his siblings.

Daniel, the youngest of the three, was a combination of both parents. He had short messy hair which retained some traits that his father's hair had like it's raven black color. He was seventeen and lanky as well which was most likely the trait he inherited from his mother. He loved everything related to space, so it was no surprise that he was called an Astro-nut. Daniel was a timid boy, but he stuck up for others whenever he could which usually resulted in him being targeted for bullying. That usually led to Jazmine's interference.

Vlad had to admit that, though he was the God Father of all three children, he did favor Daniel more, but he couldn't really understand why. Each child brought something special to the mix, and yet he zeroed in on Daniel. It was an odd sense of Deja Vu, but he felt like he knew more about the child than what he, well, knew about the child. It was hard for him to explain.

Once Vlad found a suitable outfit consisting of a short sleeved white shirt and an old pair of slacks, he put them on and then topped it off with beige loafers. He then grabbed his cell phone and pushed the speed dial for Jack.

One ring...two ring...three...

On the fourth ring, someone answered the phone.

"Hey Uncle Vlad," shouted a seventeen year old Daniel Fenton.

"Oh, Unc's one the phone?" shouted David Fenton with no doubt a huge grin on his face.

"I just said that, Davy," stated Daniel with what sounded to Vlad like annoyance.

The two bickered back and forth before Vlad cleared his throat. Daniel stopped bickering, but David kept going, unaware of Vlad on the other end.

"I was just calling to let your father know that I was heading over there. It shouldn't take that long. Where is he anyway?"

Daniel was silent for a moment before he mumbled something to David. David hushed up before Daniel spoke again.

"He and mom went to go get Jaz from campus. Apparently there was a fight, and you know how Jaz is. She tried to break it up, ya know, with her fists."

Vlad sighed. Jazmine was trained in self defense by her mother just in case she needed to protect herself. It didn't surprise Vlad, however, to know that she was using it to harm others. Jaz was smart, and had much potential. If she were to keep focus, then she could make something of herself, but she was wasting it all on picking fights.

"For heaven's sake, I thought she would have grown up since high school. If this keeps up, she'll get kicked out of Wis U."

Daniel was silent on the other end and Vlad feared the worse.

"She didn't get booted, did she?"

"No, not this time, but this is her second strike. One more and she's out. I don't even think you can influence the guys at that place."

Vlad sighed. Being the successor to the Wisconsin Dairy King's...whatever, had it's perks. For one thing, he inherited a big fancy mansion which he didn't use often unless he had a meeting. It was huge and it left him feeling cold and empty. He was also left with a huge lump sum of money, some of which he invested in a company which made him a millionaire. That being said, he hated the lime light and shied away from it whenever he could. In fact, he lived in a simple house in a small residential part of Wisconsin. It was only a few miles away from where Jack and Maddie lived.

"They should be on their way back now, though," stated David who had no doubt snatched the phone from Daniel who was protesting in the background. "You should head over, we'll let you in."

Vlad smiled as he shook his head at his God Child's antics. David was a prankster who took to fighting like his sister, though he wasn't an adept fighter like her. That being said, he knew that David probably had some sort of prank in store for him when he got there.

"Alright then, I'm on my way," said Vlad with a roll of his eyes. "And if I don't get there before your parents, tell Jack to stop leaving his phone in the hands of his maniacal children."

"Maniacal?" David snorted, most likely because of the meaning behind the word.

"Mhm yes, maniacal," stated Vlad before bidding the boys farewell and hanging up.

He pocketed his phone and grabbed his keys from his bedside table. He then looked for the remote before realizing that it must have fallen from the bed. He crouched down on the floor and felt around before his fingers finally grazed the object in question. He grabbed the remote and turned off the flat screen before he proceeded out the bedroom door.

His home was simple. It was a one bedroom house complete with a living room and kitchenette, both of which he passed by on the way to the front door. Once to the front door he turned and frowned slightly. Something was off, though he just couldn't place it. He looked around his home, taking in the off colored green and gold decor. His floor was covered in more lavender carpets which his speckled white couch sat on top of. There were autographed photos of his favorite football players lining the walls, but the weirdness didn't come from there. He slowly made his way into the kitchen and looked around cautiously; expectantly, as though something would pop out at any minute. The kitchen was small, and, unlike the rest of the house, it was all white except for the black and white checkered floor tiles. The refrigerator was white as well as the cabinets and the stove, but they also had silver handles and buttons. Vlad hesitated before he opened the fridge, expecting the worse, but there was nothing.

"Hmmm..." muttered Vlad just as he was about to close the fridge.

That was when he spotted it from the corner of his eye. He opened the fridge and reached into the dairy drawer. He frowned, slightly annoyed as he pulled out the cheese and rolled his eyes.

"Gouda," he muttered as he looked around his home waiting impatiently for something to happen.

"It's good," came a voice that slightly echoed.

Vlad shivered before he turned to face the cabinets. He opened one of them and noticed a small, paunchy ghost holding up a box of macaroni noodles. Vlad sighed before he jerked his thumb back, indicating that he wanted the intruder out of his cabinets. The ghost looked slightly disappointed as he hovered to the ground, his head coming up just above Vlad's waist.

"Dairy King," started Vlad who was trying to keep his annoyance down. "I said I would try the Gouda, and you promised that you'd stop popping up randomly."

"But you haven't tried it," the ghost of the Dairy King proclaimed as he turned his back to Vlad.

Vlad sighed before he grabbed the Gouda and a knife. Ever since his incident with the JMV Portal, he learned that he had a sort of...sixth sense that reacted around ghosts. His first clue to this was when his friend, Darian Kingsley passed away in his sleep.

_Vlad had been devastated at his friend's death, and had sought comfort with Jack and Maddie who had accompanied him to the reading of the man's Will despite not knowing the man. Vlad, being the man's closest and most trustworthiest friend had been left with the man's legacy, as well as his mansion, though Vlad had been truly flabbergasted. He had no idea that his man had been the Dairy King, though when he thought about it, it was somewhat obvious by how he could go on and on about cheese._

_Vlad stayed in the man's mansion for a night in hopes of getting a better sense of the man. Jack and Maddie had wanted to stay with him, but he knew that they had been wasting enough of their time fretting over him. He had dismissed them and stayed the night alone although, he had a feeling that he wasn't alone. He kept thinking that he saw things, but when he doubled checked there was nothing. He knew better than to write it off since he believed in the paranormal. Deciding it was best to look around to calm his nerves, he did just that. He looked around the huge mansion but found no trace of anything odd, at least until he reached Darian's room. The door was slightly ajar, which Vlad honestly couldn't remember doing, though he had been really occupied at the time. Hesitantly, he opened the door only to see a glowing blob of energy. Vlad had been too shocked to move, so he could only watch as the blob turned to him, his face tinted green. There was fear in his eyes as he looked to Vlad for help or answers. _

_Vlad had composed himself when the blob's shape became more human and recognizable._

_"Darian?" asked Vlad as he cautiously took a step forward. _

_The ghost of the Dairy King looked to Vlad, not understanding the man's hesitation or fear. Then again he couldn't understand why he was floating, glowing and green. He would have felt Vlad's fear natural if he hadn't been thinking so irrationally._

_"Vlad," he stated, his voice echoing which caused the two men to wince though Vlad took a hesitant step back._

_Sure Darian had been his friend in life, but he was a ghost now, and ghosts were...they were evil, weren't they? They were pieces of human remains that just couldn't let go so that they could properly move on into the afterlife. They had some sort of unfinished business that kept them rooted to the world of the living; an obsession if you will. Obsessions, Vlad noted, were what made ghosts dangerous._

_Darian watched with a hurt look in his eyes as his closest friend back away, his body tense with fear at the very sight of him. Vlad felt guilty at that reaction, but could anyone really blame him?_

_"Darian," Vlad repeated, more sternly than before. "Why are you here?" he asked, almost regretting the question the moment it flowed from his lips. _

_Darian looked quite confused before his confusion flashed into anger. Vlad backed up until his back hit the wall. Darian was before Vlad in an instant, paunchy hands grabbed at Vlad's wrists._

_"This is MY home! Who are you to question why it is that I am here? I should ask you that question! I know we're friends, but you're trespassing! You even had the audacity to ignore me when I spoke to you earlier!"_

_Vlad tensed when he realized what was happening. His friend didn't know that he was dead, and he had been trying to reach out to him, most likely the entire night. What happened between then and now that allowed Vlad to even hold this conversation, he wasn't sure, but he knew that he had to do or say something to calm the ghost who wasn't aware of all the items floating in the room._

_"Forgive me, Darian," started Vlad as calmly as he could despite the rising panic at watching the floating objects in the room. "I'm sorry," he continued as he bowed his head, not wanting to be the bearer of the worse news in the history of news._

_Darian caught the change in Vlad's body language and backed off, not understanding how someone as strong willed as Vlad could look so tired and defeated. He hadn't meant to elicit such an reaction from the man he considered a close friend just like he hadn't meant to float out of bed. Darian frowned, before he gently took Vlad's hand, enticing a gasp from the taller male. Darian flinched his hand away while Vlad looked at where he had been touched. Darian's hand had been freezing, but...it was to be expected._

_"What's happening to me?" the paunchy ghost questioned, though Vlad still refused to meet his gaze. He knew that the news wouldn't be something the other male liked, and well, the floating furniture was a very good motivator for keeping his mouth shut._

_Of course Vlad couldn't lie to the man, otherwise he would never find peace. Taking in a huge intake of air and exhaling it, Vlad explained to his friend what had happened. Much to Vlad's shock, the ghost took it a lot better than he thought, at least after the first five minutes of the room being frozen, furniture thrown and an odd moment where everything smelled like cheese._

_It was later in the week that Vlad attended Darian's funeral. Maddie and Jack attended the funeral with him, but were stunned to see that Vlad wasn't as down as many thought he should have been. There was still that sad gleam in his eyes, but he seemed happy. Jack and Maddie shrugged it off, knowing that people dealt with loss differently. Vlad, on the other hand, knew that Darian was still with him, and not in some cheesy 'He'll always be in your heart' sort of way. No, Darian was with him at the funeral, standing invisibly over the casket, looking down at himself. Though Vlad couldn't see him, he could feel him. _

_After the funeral, Vlad stood in an isolated area, talking to a few friends of Darian. Some had expressed their condolences while others expressed their jealousy, though it wasn't out loud but in the way they looked at him, or their body language. Some played the 'I knew him longer than you' card, though it was subtle. When it was all over and done with, Vlad turned towards the tree which Darian's body had been buried near. The ghost appeared before Vlad, who wasn't startled since he already knew the other was there._

_"I've decided to keep my alias in death," stated Darian with a mischievous gleam in his eyes that was not unlike the look Jack made when he had something idiotic in mind._

_"Your alias?" Vlad asked, half curious and half bemused._

_"The Dairy King."_

_Vlad laughed at that, though he wasn't poking fun at the other._

_"It's a good name," Vlad said after he saw the look in his friend's eyes. "It's who you were and who you are."_

_The Dairy King smiled and nodded before he disappeared. Vlad felt his presence vanish and wondered if it was the last of, Darian Kingsley, the Dairy King._

Vlad rolled his eyes as he cut the cheese into small pieces, then grabbed a sandwich bag. He kept a small piece out and put the rest away and back into the fridge. He then walked around the Dairy King so that they were facing each other. The Dairy King looked up at Vlad, his sour expression turning into one of joy as he watched Vlad put the piece of cheese into his mouth. Vlad stood there chewing, surprised to find that the cheese was just as good as the Dairy King made it out to be. The Dairy King grinned triumphantly before he smiled at Vlad.

"It's my own recipe," he stated eagerly as his form started disappearing.

"It really is quite good," continued Vlad with a small smile.

"I never lie, my boy. You see, there is a lot more to cheese than a lot of people realize."

"I'm sure," stated Vlad as he once again rolled his eyes.

The Dairy King gave a knowing smile before he finally disappeared. Of course, Vlad knew that he wasn't really gone for good. He was just being dramatic. He'd come back with a new type of cheese for Vlad to try. He always did. With a shake of his head, Vlad once again headed for the door, and made his way outside. He pulled out his keys to lock the door, then waved at a few of his neighbors that were also up. It was a Saturday and it was early, so he wasn't surprised when his neighbors ignored him. He just shrugged it off. Not everyone was a morning person after all. He didn't hold it against them.

Vlad walked from his front door to his driveway where his black Camero sat waiting for him. He turned off the alarm via key remote, then unlocked the door and got into the driver's seat. Once there, he began to make his way towards the Fenton's household. All the way there, though, he had this weird feeling of being watched...

* * *

Quasar had been extremely agitated after the brawl with his brother. Clockwork had gotten away and that flaming haired ghost creature had eluded him as well. It was quite bothersome, especially when everything had been within his grasp. If only he had been stronger and better equipped to handle the situation. He sighed and rubbed his head before he felt a tug at his core. He momentarily felt sick as the pull began to grow far too strong for him to handle. His eyes glowed as an image of Vlad hiding in the school appeared in a swirling vortex in front of him.

"I'd rather not be stuck here," Vlad muttered into the bracelet, not realizing that Quasar was watching and listening.

"We wouldn't want that," stated Quasar with some amusement as he watched Vlad's face contort with confusion and even a bit of fear.

Quasar chuckled as he waved his staff which set events on Vlad's end into motion. When Quasar had been locked away, he had been planning to test the limits of his powers to their fullest. He had always been able to handle time on a scale far smaller than that of his brother. Of course, his power to manipulate space were unmatched and meant that he could do anything he set his mind to. Of course, exerting too much power, like he did in Vlad's case, not to mention the fighting with his brother, put a huge strain on his ghostly body.

"Rewind, stop, fast forward, pause...all for thirty seconds, but when you add manipulation and distortion of space, plus strength of will, anything is possible."

Quasar grit his teeth and clenched his side. Sending Vlad into the past overexerted his power to the point where he needed to use his Gemini Core to give the time manipulation powers a boost. Anywhere in time was open to him, sure, but to move someone or something other than himself while staying back was another story entirely, especially if he didn't have permission from his opposite.

Quasar shook his head and cleared his throat as he began to fly from the demolished tower that was once Clockwork's lair. With the bracelet he put on Dan, it wouldn't be that hard to find him. What had him concerned was the fact that Clockwork was able to keep him, the Manipulator of Space, from following after him. It left him with a lot of questions that he planned to find out from the current residents of the Ghost Zone.

* * *

The dam broke and Danny felt like giving Clockwork the beating of the century, despite his already beaten state. Clockwork merely watched in slight amusement before he sat up and floated a few inches above the floor. The effort it took in doing such a normally simple task surprised Clockwork since he normally didn't overwork himself thanks to his powers. This feeling of weakness and fear weren't exactly new to him, but they had been long since forgotten so they might as well have been new.

Danny, who was trying to calm his family by answering their questions as best he could, froze when his throat seemed to lock up. His eyes widened when he noticed that Danni was going through the same problem. The two snapped their mouths shut simultaneously before letting out a belch that resulted in the temperature dropping dramatically. The two both slapped their hands over their mouths when everyone got quiet, but that didn't stop the large blue wisps from slipping through the gaps in their fingers. All eyes turned to Clockwork, who was glaring heatedly ahead of him, not making eye contact with anyone or anything. He then closed his eyes in a pained way before hissing in anger at the intrusion he felt upon his ghostly core. He hadn't given permission for the use of his powers, but he felt Quasar's powers closing in on his core and giving it a gentle squeeze, taking what was a suitable amount of power for whatever it was he was up too. Clockwork grimaced as he looked up and spotted the two half ghosts looking at him, while everyone else was alternating their stares between the halfas and the spirit.

"What was that?" Danni questioned with a frown on her face while her hand remained plastered over her mouth.

Danny was mirroring her movements, both of them feeling like they were about to throw up. Clockwork placed a hand over where his core was, which was in the same position as a human heart.

"It felt like a hundred ghosts set of my Ghost Sense," Danny stated while eying Clockwork suspiciously, knowing that whatever happened had something to do with the Spirit of Time.

"Stay close to each other," Clockwork said airily as he stared at nothing in the room that could be seen by anyone else.

Danny was trying, he really was, but Clockwork was making it so much harder to keep his composure. Sometimes Clockwork just made him want to rip out his hair with his stupid riddles!

"Clockwork-," snapped Danny only for his world to become slightly unbalanced. He wasn't the only one having problems with gravity. A shriek from Jazz and Maddie told him that they weren't fairing any better than he was.

A yelp from Tucker and a snarl from Sam alerted him of their troubles, Danni was talking to Jack, telling him not to hold on too tightly to her, and Clockwork's eyes weren't their normal vibrant red. They looked dull and depleted...sad even.

"Clockwork," Danny stated awkwardly as he tried to keep his balance and dodge around oddly shaped lab equipment that was being distorted and stretched along with himself and the other occupants in the room.

"I'm afraid that this time, Daniel, even I do not know how this will end."

Clockwork's formed disappeared from sight leaving Danny extremely cold. A sense of dread was creeping its way into his body, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He understood then what was going on. Clockwork's brother was making things crazy and hectic which clouded Clockwork's visions. It made the time lines unstable, unreliable, and maybe even invisible to Clockwork's ever watchful eye. In this moment, Clockwork was just like any other ghost he could have encountered in the fact that Clockwork...didn't know everything, at least everything that would happen next.

* * *

"Oh, my head hurts," stated a groggy Tucker as he opened his eyes and looked around.

He was laying on a cold, blue tiled floor in what he assumed was the Fenton's basement minus all of their inventions including the Fenton Portal. To his left he spotted Jazz who was just getting up as well. She rubbed her head and then began to look around the area frantically. She spotted Tucker who gave her a thumbs up. She then turned around and spotted Sam behind her. Sam hadn't opened her eyes yet, which had Jazz somewhat worried. Floating off to the side was Danni with Jack on her back and Maddie in her hands. She landed on the ground cautiously while letting Maddie down gently. Jack let go of Danni and stumbled back a bit before his back hit the wall behind him.

Danny, who was floating in front of where the portal was supposed to be, hadn't moved at all. He was completely tense and uncertain of what just happened, but he had a feeling that things were not going to be getting better any time soon.

A groan from Sam caused Danny and everyone else to turn in her direction. Jazz, who was knelt beside her, helped the younger girl sit up. Sam rubbed her no doubt aching head, and began to look around the barren basement of what she was sure had been the Fenton's lab only seconds ago.

"Okay, what's going on?" she asked as she turned to look at everyone.

When nobody answered, she looked towards her boyfriend who wore this...look of genuine hopelessness on his face.

"Vlad...Vlad's tampering with time has done this," stated Maddie angrily.

"Vlad and Quasar," corrected Danny as he walked over to his family and friends.

"What are we going to do?" inquired Danni as she looked at everyone in the room.

"Hello? Who's down here?" came a voice from the top of the steps.

Everyone froze before Danny, Jazz, Sam, and Tucker backed away from the steps while Jack, Maddie, and Danni did the same. Danny took hold of his sister and friends' hands and turned them invisible while Danni did the same with Jack and Maddie. Danny and Danni then turned intangible and flew their passengers out of the apartment building and onto the streets of Amity Park. Once outside and in the clear, the seven of them flickered back into the visible spectrum. Danny and Danni both transformed into their human guises while they looked at what used to be Fenton Works. The obnoxiously big Fenton Works sign was no longer present on top of the building nor was the Ops Center. It was just a normal building, much to everyone's surprise.

"Our home!" shouted Jack as he looked at the building angrily.

Maddie didn't say anything; too frightened of the profanities that she might spew. Danny ran his fingers through his hair, having mixed feelings about the apartment building. On one hand, the building looked normal without the big neon sign which told everyone where he lived. Then again, it definitely wasn't his home without it.

"What do we do? I mean, this isn't our...home...is it?" asked Danny as he looked towards his mother and father.

Both his parents were at a loss for words, but a few seconds later, Clockwork appeared.

"You!" shouted Jack as he pointed at the spirit. Clockwork watched as the obese man tried to form coherent sentences.

Danny, on the other hand, glared at Clockwork.

"What the heck was that, and where exactly did you go?" shouted Danny with Sam right by his side.

"That was the time stream shifting to compensate for Vlad's meddling. This is a new time line..."

"A new time line?" repeated everyone skeptically.

"Yes, but unlike the other time lines, I have little control over this one. As for where I went, I was caught in a time loop."

"What? How can the Master of Time get caught in a time loop," asked Tucker.

Clockwork turned his head away in what seemed like embarrassment and shame, but he composed himself and responded.

"My brother and I share the same power source, though we can only use our specific powers the fullest without repercussions. When one of us needs to tap into the others power, we can tap into the others' core, but only with permission. When permission is not granted, there is resistance which will cause pain to both parties, not to mention it can cause a severe drain to the person who it is being stolen from."

"So Quasar weakened you by trying to steal your time manipulation powers. In doing this, you were trapped in a time loop when the time streams began compensating for the creation, balancing, and sustaining of the new time line?" asked Maddie, though she was thinking out loud.

"Exactly," responded a tired sounding Clockwork. "It took hours for my powers to come back, and when they did I returned here."

"Hours?" questioned Danni in awe.

Clockwork didn't answer, but instead he looked around which caused everyone else to do the same thing. He frowned before he bared his teeth. He could sense his brother's influence everywhere, and it was only a matter of time before his brother would find him. A fight would no doubt ensue, and despite Clockwork having access to all of his powers, they weren't quite up to par at the moment. He was still recovering. His best bet was to stay hidden until his powers were back in full swing.

"Clockwork, are you alright?" asked Danny who moved closer to the time manipulating spirit.

"Fine," the Time Keeper answered, much to Danny's annoyance since he knew the Master of Time wasn't being truthful.

Danny didn't bother asking again, but instead took notice of the scenery. There was no movement from the nearby trees which meant that Clockwork had the entire area in a 'Time Out'.

"Excuse me, but I'm not sure if this registered to anyone else yet, but that wasn't Dad's voice yelling down the steps, nor was it mom's not to mention the sign isn't on the building. That means, if we do exist in this new time line, we don't live here."

All eyes turned to Jazz. They knew she was right.

"Since we don't exactly know where to start, I say we start with finding out about the family and where they stay. If we go to the library, I'm sure I can dig something up. Judging from the current position of the sun, I'd say that it's still pretty early in the day, at least it is here. The library should be opened now," continued Jazz.

"That's a better place to start than any," agreed Maddie. Jack nodded before turning to look at Clockwork.

The Time Master's eyes were glowing a dull blue, then they immediately turned red. He bared his teeth, and suddenly the chirping of birds could be heard. He swayed a bit before he turned invisible, causing everyone to look around curiously. Danny was beyond worried at the Master of Time's strange behavior. He was acting completely out of character, and it was frightening that someone with such powers was being messed with. Danny gulped, shook his head, and looked back towards his family.

"L-let's get to the library," he stuttered. He missed the almost smile that graced Jazz's lips as he turned to face his friends.

Sam and Tucker were bouncing on the balls of their feet, and there was a bit of curiosity dancing around in their eyes. Danny raised a curious brow at the two of them, but he then caught on.

"You guys wanna see if you're here, don't you?"

Sam and Tucker looked at each other guiltily before nodding their heads.

"I mean, last time we got sent to another time line, it was ten years into the future and we were dead. You can't exactly blame us for wanting to look, right?" asked Tucker with a hopeful look in his eyes.

"Clockwork warned us to stay together. Besides, I doubt you guys'll have changed much considering that Vlad just messed with his own past."

"Danny...you cheated on a test which resulted in all of us dying and you becoming evil," reminded Sam, though she looked a little guilty for bringing it up. "Vlad could have killed your dad so that his younger self would have a chance with your mom. Heck, they probably live in Wisconsin together makin' googly eyes at each other."

Danny winced. He'd seen something similar happen before. His cheeks turned a slight shade of red at the thought before he mentally shook it off.

"Fine, whatever, but let's split into two teams. I guess I'll go with the two of you. Danni, Jazz, mom and dad can go to the library."

Maddie and Jack wanted to protest, but they merely let it go. Everything was just so confusing and hard to believe at the moment. It felt like some sort of bad dream to them, and they just couldn't awaken from it. Danny took their silence as an agreement and wrapped his hands around his friends' waists. He turned into Phantom and then turned himself and his friends invisible before launching into the sky. The closest place was Sam's house, so that's where they headed.

The trio remained silent as they made their way to the biggest residential house in the area. Unlike Sam's house in their time line, this house was a bit brighter and had a garden that was in full bloom. Sam shuddered as the trio landed invisibly on the walkway.

"Uck, I think I'm gonna hurl," stated Sam as she looked at the different colors that lined the house.

They were bright and chipper, something that Sam knew was her mother's influence. Her eye twitched when she saw her family's name on the mailbox. This was definitely where this world's version of her stayed.

The door to the house opened, followed by Sam's voice.

"I'll be back before nine, mother," stated Samantha Manson, as she walked out of the house.

Unable to hold it in, the trio gasped at this world's version of Sam.

"Samantha, sweetie, you forgot your purse!"

"Oh, thanks!"

Samantha walked back into the house and grabbed her purse. She then walked back out and opened the hot pink colored item. She pulled out a compact mirror and began to adjust her blond hair which barely reached her shoulders.

"Oh no," she muttered as she began to search for her lipstick.

Once she found the Passion Pink colored lipstick, she began to apply it to her lips. She rubbed her lips together to even out the lipstick, then puckered up to make sure it was just perfect. She then placed her items back into her purse and rubbed down her white and red plaid skirt. She then tugged her pink spaghetti strap shirt down since it had ridden up a little. She then looked down to her red glittered sandals to make sure that they were strapped correctly. Once she was satisfied she began to walk towards the trio. Danny immediately turned them intangible and closed his eyes as Samantha walked through them. The blond haired girl shivered and stopped, turning on her heels to examine the area she had just walked in.

She searched the area with a critical eye, before biting her lower lip.

"I know you're there," she questioned more than stated, though she whispered it as though she was nervous. Danny blinked and looked at his Sam who was frowning severely while Tucker remained uncertain.

When nothing happened, Samantha sighed and turned around right on time to see her boyfriend pull up in a red Mustang.

"Hey Samantha," grinned the blond jock as he parked his car, got out and walked around to the passenger's side to open the door.

Tucker and Danny immediately put their hands over Sam's mouth as well as each others, and not a moment too soon. The blond jock with navy blue eyes and Samantha kissed before the jock opened the door.

"Hey, Dash," said Samantha with what seemed like a forced smile.

She got into the car, and Dash closed it for her. She watched as he made his way to the driver's side, but turned back to the walk way when he got inside. She narrowed her eyes at the area, in that typical Sam fashion, knowing that something was there, but she didn't want to say anything out loud.

"So like, what movie did you wanna see, Sammie?"

Samantha turned to look at Dash, and rolled her eyes.

"I already told you I wanted to see There Shall Be Blood."

Dash looked at his girlfriend skeptically, but he shrugged and started the car. He was a romance movie type of guy, and she was the horror movie type, which was weird, but was also a turn on. He smirked and began to drive towards the movie theater with a thoughtful Samantha sitting beside him.

Danny and Tucker kept their hands over Sam's mouth even after they reappeared on the sidewalk in front of Samantha's house. Sam was fuming and no doubt cursing the heavens and Vlad for the atrocity that she had just witnessed. After she seemed to calm down, the two boys both removed their hands and took a few steps away from Sam. They wanted to laugh and make fun of the situation, but they weren't going to do that with Sam nearby. In fact, they probably wouldn't do it at all.

Sam's eyes immediately turned to Tucker and Danny, both of which took another step back. Her eyes presented a challenge in them. She was daring them to say something, anything, that would set her off. The two boys held up their hands in surrender, not wanting to take their chances. Sam didn't seem satisfied though, and she stormed past both of them while grabbing them by the collar of their shirts. She then began to drag them towards Tucker's house. Danny took the opportunity to turn the three of them invisible so that they wouldn't be seen just in case Tucker resembled the Tucker from this time line.

When the trio made it to Tucker's house, they were surprised to Tucker outside. He wasn't wearing any glasses, and he was kneeling on the ground while looking for something.

"Aww man, I knew I shouldn't have tried to adjust those stupid contacts..."

Tuck sat down after a few minutes of looking for his contact and sighed. His grey muscle shirt was covered in dirt, and his baggy blue jeans had dirt and grass stains. He rubbed his hands together, and frowned at nothing in particular. He had more contacts in the house, but he couldn't keep losing the ones he was wearing. They were expensive after all, and his parents were getting tired of him misplacing an entire box or losing them all the time, and he didn't want to go back to wearing his glasses. They were large and gaudy, and the reason that he had been bullied so terribly all throughout high school, that and he had no friends.

With a sigh, Tuck wiped his hands on his pants, then ran his fingers through his black dreads.

Tucker and Danny watched this version of Tuck for a few minutes while Sam stood furiously beside them.

"Tucker, your little friend Samantha is on the phone."

Tuck looked at his mother who had popped her head out of the door. He looked at her skeptically then shook his head.

"She's not my friend. She stopped being my friend the moment she realized that she had the potential to be one of the most popular girls in school."

The invisible trio blinked at Tuck's tone, then watched everything play out before them.

"Don't be like that Tucker. Now come get this phone."

Tuck rolled his eyes and walked towards his mother with his hand out. She gave him the cordless phone and with a sigh, he spoke into it.

"Yeah?"

"Oh good Tuck, you're home."

"Where else would I be, Sam? It's not like I have friends to hang out with. Besides, aren't you on a date with Casper High's quarterback?"

"Seriously Tucker, you're doing this? Listen, remember when we were younger and we saw that ghost?"

Tuck looked as though he was thinking about it. Eventually he nodded, though Samantha couldn't see him.

"Yeah, I remember. What about it?"

"I sensed one outside of my house today, or...I think I walked through it."

Tuck seemed interested, but then his interest subsided.

"Why are you telling me, _Sammie_? It's not like I can protect you from it. You have Dash for that."

With that, Tuck hung up the phone and threw it into the bushes. The trio stood still, unsure what to say to that.

"Mom I'm gone!" yelled Tuck angrily as he shoved his hands into his pockets and began to walk away.

His mother began to yell in protest, but Tuck refused to listen. He walked past the area where the trio stood, and he shuddered and stopped. He looked at the area then shook his head.

"Sam's crazy," he spat as he continued to walk down the street with no real destination in mind.

Once Tuck was far enough away and his mother went back into the house after retrieving the phone, the trio reappeared. The three of them were quiet due to uncertainty. Sam, in this time line was a peppy popular girl who dated their worst enemy, and the Tucker in this time line was a lonely, angry, and jealous kid who was downright disrespectful to his mother.

"This is so wrong," stated Sam as she rubbed her palms against her eyes. "So terribly, terribly wrong."

Tucker and Sam turned to look at Danny who was quiet.

"It makes me wonder about Danny's double," stated Tucker cautiously.

"Please, don't." stated Danny who was still in ghost form. "Let's just hurry up and get to the library."

Danny took hold of his friends once again and flew them invisibly to the library.

**TBC**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight: Gaining Ground

The trip to the library was a quiet one considering what the trio had just witnessed. The urge to joke about it was there, but it just wasn't strong enough to bring to the surface, especially with the whole idea that the Masters of Space and Time were at each others throats, an evil version of Danny was currently on the loose, and Vlad, was causing catastrophic amounts of damage without even giving it a second thought.

Once outside of the library, Danny set his friends down and turned back to his human form. The trio silently walked inside looking for Jazz, Danni, or either of the elder Fentons. Sam was still visibly tense and Tucker was somewhat depressed looking. Danny, on the other hand, was worried about Clockwork. The guy had vanished completely with nothing more than the unfreezing of time.

"When I find Vlad, he's gonna wish he was never born," snapped Sam, though barely above a whisper.

"I second that emotion," agreed Tucker, though he was looking more thoughtful than anything.

"I have a headache," mumbled Danny as he looked towards his two friends who turned around to look at him. "I mean, I've been thinking about this whole thing and...if I hadn't been in Amity Park, Sam, you'd be popular...and Tucker would be..."

"A lonely jerk?" Tucker offered.

Danny looked at his friend apologetically to which Tucker just shrugged.

"Maybe that's true, but I couldn't help but notice the depressing look in this world's Sam's eyes. It's like...she wasn't happy, and when she thought she sensed something, she lit up like a starry night," stated Danny thoughtfully.

"I noticed that too," stated Tucker while Sam looked at them curiously.

"She's probably not being true to herself. I mean seriously! Of all of the people in Casper High, she's dating Dash, and she obviously ditched Tucker for her popular status," argued Sam as she folded her arms over her chest.

"Apparently she still considers this world's Tucker as her friend," chimed in Tucker.

"But only when no-one's looking, I bet," snapped Sam which was a little louder than she meant. The librarian walked over to them and gave them a warning before walking away. Sam glowered before she threw her hands in the air, an obvious sign of her giving up.

"Still," Danny went on, "I think it's clear that she's still the supernatural loving chick that we all know and love."

Danny smiled at Sam in hopes of making her feel better, but she ignored the compliment in favor of glowering at the floor. Danny looked at Tucker who just shrugged.

The trio walked around the library in silence while looking for any signs of the others. A flash of orange caught Tucker's attention, and he motioned to the others to follow him. The trio walked in the direction that Tucker had indicated, and after a few minutes they spotted the remaining four of their group. Jazz and Maddie were using two computers while Danni and Jack were reading a few newspaper articles.

"Any luck?" asked Danny as he stood between his mother and his sister.

Maddie and Jazz looked at him, each wearing frowns on their faces.

"Luck? Seriously, Danny?" asked Jazz while shaking her head in disbelief. "If that's what you want to call it."

She pulled up a few web browsers and Danny's eye twitched as he read over what his sister had found.

"It says that Vlad is the successor to the Dairy King's fortune..."

"There was no mention of a ghost portal accident either. My guess is that Vlad prevented it," stated Jazz as she moved on to another web browser.

"You'd be right," stated Maddie as she pulled up a web browser on her own computer. "Look at this!"

Danny and Jazz both looked over the screen and couldn't help but show their shocked expressions.

"Jack, Maddie, and Vlad, a trio of college students from Wisconsin University, who were always into the supernatural, surprised the world when they proved their theory of ghosts to be more than just a theory?" Danny read, surprised by the article.

"The trio of paranormal scientists recreated their Prototype Ghost Portal from their college days on a larger scale which was designed to view a world unseen. The portal indeed opened up a whole new world; a ghostly world which was made obvious when a portly ghost who claimed to be the _Box Ghost_, floated through screaming '_Beware'_, startling reporters, journalists and the scientists as well," continued Jazz.

Everyone glanced at each other before the main question was asked.

"Where do we live?" Jack, who had been reading over old newspaper articles that told him nothing, posed to anyone who held the answer.

"Isn't it obvious? Madison, Wisconsin," sighed Maddie as she pulled up a picture of herself, Jack, and Vlad from this time line. Jack walked over to the screen and stared at it, while everyone else, with the exception of Maddie, gawked at the photo.

"How are we supposed to get to Wisconsin?" asked Danni.

"Well, you and I can sneak everyone on a plane..."

"We wouldn't be able to stand up the whole time, we'd need to eat, and we'd definitely need to use the restroom...so I don't think that would work out too well," stated Jazz.

Sam groaned, which caused everyone to turn to her.

"I have an...idea, but I hate it already."

Danny and Tucker looked at each other, knowingly, then looked at the ground.

"Do you think that's a good idea?" asked Tucker skeptically.

"Clockwork can't do anything right now and the time streams are already screwed. If this can help us find Vlad and hopefully a way to fix everything or at least get us into the Ghost Zone, then it's worth a try."

"What are the three of you talking about?" asked Jack with a shake of his head.

"There's only one person in Amity Park who might be willing to help us, and her name is Samantha."

Sam glared at Danny while Tucker looked away to hide his smile. They were going to have to sit down and talk about this when time permitted, but for now they had to be serious. Everyone looked at Tucker, Sam and Danny with confusion, but they decided to set forth on whatever scheme the kids had.

* * *

"Are we sure this is a good idea?" asked Danni, repeating Tucker's earlier worries.

Danni was holding hands with Jazz, who was holding hands with Jack, who was holding hands with Maddie.

"No, but it's the best choice we have," stated Danny who was holding hands with Sam and Tucker.

"Did you call Tuck?" Danny asked Sam.

"Yeah. Luckily the numbers are the same as back home."

"I can't believe you got him to come here. After the way he acted earlier and all," stated Tucker with a frown.

"Yeah, and I didn't even have to threaten his life," Sam stated angrily, which was enough of a warning for Tucker.

Moments later, a red Mustang parked in the front of the house. Samantha didn't bother to wait for Dash to let her out which looked like it bothered the jock.

"I uh, hope you had fun, Sammie."

"Oh yeah, I definitely had fun despite my big strong boyfriend screaming like a frightened banshee at all the gory bits."

Dash looked offended, but he couldn't argue. He had to admit that he had been scared despite the forced bravado he displayed when going in the theater.

"Look, I didn't think it would be that scary. I mean seriously, Sammie. You can't tell me that you weren't scared."

"Would you stop calling me _Sammie!_ And actually, I wasn't scared. I was having the time of my life, well, between you screaming like a little five year old and the overly cheesy lines and all the fake blood. Gimme a break!"

Dash closed his eyes and counted backwards from ten before he walked over to Samantha. He placed his hands on top of hers and gave an exasperated sigh.

"I'm sorry. It's just...I'm not a big gore fan. I can watch some types of horror flicks, but things like that give me the creeps. You know I'm more of a RomCom sort of guy. Forgive me?"

Samantha deflated a little bit and shook her head before pecking her boyfriend on the lips.

"I suppose so, and for once you did manage to get me home before nine so I won't get in trouble. I suppose I can show you my gratitude by going to see," Samantha paused then shuddered, " Lovely Lily with you."

"Really?" Dash asked with a look of skepticism in his eyes as well as his voice.

Samantha rolled her eyes.

"Yes, really. Besides, if I can sit through Sayanora Pussycat: The Meow-sical with Paulina, then I can certainly sit through some RomCom with you."

Both Dash and Samantha shuddered while Sam bit back whatever retort she had. She hated this time line with a passion. She hated this time line even more than the one where Danny turned evil, and she was _dead _in that one!

"You're the greatest," stated Dash as he gently squeezed Samantha's hand in his.

He was about to walk her to her door when he heard a snort from behind them.

"Guess you wanted to show me how happy you two were together," stated Tuck as he looked from Dash to Samantha.

Samantha wore a confused look on her face while Dash seemed annoyed at the intrusion.

"What do you want Fool-ey?" asked Dash as he blocked Samantha from view.

"_Sammie_ called me," stated Tuck angrily while Dash looked at his girlfriend.

"That was earlier, and if I remember correctly, you hung up on me."

"Oh please, you called me like, fifteen minutes ago. You told me to meet you here!"

"You're delusional! I did no such thing!"

Dash shook his head before he rolled his eyes.

"She doesn't wanna be your friend, Foul-y. Get lost."

Tuck and Samantha both grew quiet, and Tuck just shook his head.

"I can see that quite clearly," muttered Tuck as he tried to walk off.

"Wait a minute, Tucker," said Samantha as she maneuvered around Dash to grab hold of Tuck's wrist.

Dash gritted his teeth together in anger, but he kept his mouth shut. Samantha turned to look at her boyfriend with an apologetic smile before she waved him away. "I'll call you later, Dash."

"Whatever," stated Dash, annoyed, as he walked to the driver side of his car and got in.

He rode away from Samantha's house with a scowl on his face, not believing that his girlfriend still wanted to talk to a loser like Foley.

Tuck and Samantha stood there silently, each one not sure what to say to the other. Tuck tugged his wrist from Samantha, who let go after realizing that she was still clutching it to keep him in place.

"I honestly didn't call you, Tuck. I mean, the first time was because I thought I sensed a ghost nearby, but then you hung up on me. I ended up just going into the theater to watch movie previews..."

"Then who called? Who sounds exactly like you, knows my number, and your address? I don't know what kind of game you're playing with me, Sam, but I really wish you'd stop. I get that you're popular and all, but do you have to mess with me?"

"Is that what you really think? We've been friends since forever! You're the only person who knows the real me! The me who loves horror flicks, spooky stories, witch craft and the like! You're my friend Tuck!"

"Friends don't abandon each other when popularity hits, Sam. Real friends say screw the haters and go with the ones who've been there through it all _**since forever**_. You really hurt me Sam, and I won't be so forgiving."

"Tucker!"

Tuck began to walk towards the sidewalk, but the moment he did something blocked his way.

"What the heck?" Tuck asked angrily before turning to look at Samantha. "You got an invisible fence now? Let me outta here, Sam."

Sam walked over towards the walkway with a scowl obscuring her pretty features. She tried to walk out the yard herself, but the same thing happened.

"No, I don't have an invisible fence," she said as she took a few hesitant steps back.

Tuck wore a worried look on his face as he followed Samantha's lead.

"You think it's your ghost from earlier?" he asked as he looked towards Samantha.

Samantha looked thoughtful, before she looked frightened. What if this ghost wasn't friendly? Another thought then crossed her mind.

"Maybe the ghost is the one who called you?" she stated as she looked towards Tuck. "Come on," she said as she grabbed Tuck and began to run towards the entrance to her house, only to find herself once again blocked.

"Sam, seriously, what's happening?"

"How should I know?" she snapped before something out of the corner of her eye caught her attention.

She turned around to see it clearly, then her purple eyes widened in surprise.

"TUCKER!" she shouted, almost horrified at the boy identical to the boy that she considered to be her best friend.

Tuck turned around to spot his double with a few differences here and there. For example, the glasses and the beret.

"Uhh..." stated Tuck as he gawked at what appeared to be himself. "What's going on?"

"I'd tell ya, but I was threatened into a vow of silence," responded Tucker with a simple shrug of his shoulders.

Somebody tapped Tuck on his shoulder and he whirled around to meet a black haired version of Samantha. He jumped backwards and bumped into Samantha who turned around to face her double. Sam had her arms folded across her chest and was eying the blond version of herself angrily.

"Dash Baxter?! Seriously?!"

Samantha looked at the goth version of herself, then turned back to the geekier version of Tucker. Tucker walked over to Sam and stood beside her while Samantha and Tuck stood opposite of them.

"What exactly is going on here?" Samantha asked, though her fear had turned into curiosity.

"We're you from a different time line," stated Tucker nonchalantly despite how nervous and uncomfortable he was.

Tuck scratched the back of his head before something occurred to him. He reached in his back pocket and pulled out a worn down PDA. He then began to type something on its screen with a stylus. A moment later Tucker's PDA started beeping. Tuck's eyes widened when Tucker pulled out his own PDA and waved it at his double with a knowing look on his face, like the two of them just shared some sort of moment that only the two of them could understand.

"Sweet, I'm convinced," stated Tuck with a slight smile on his face. Samantha, however, was still skeptical.

She crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at her double.

"Why should I believe you?"

"Uh, because I'm right here in front of you, and I know you quite well. You have a spider shaped backpack, most likely on the highest shelf in your closet so your mom doesn't see it. You're not as peppy as you lead everyone to believe. You're a horror movie watcher, you have a bowling alley in your basement, and you love dark things, plants are like your babies, and you **HATE **the morning sun just as much as you hate Paulina and Sayanora Pussycat! The simple fact that you actually put up with both of them not to mention **DASH**, which is gross by the way, just boggles my mind!"

Samantha didn't respond. She was speechless.

"If her looks don't convince you, then that rant definitely should," responded Tuck with a simple shrug.

Samantha ignored her version of Tucker while Sam rubbed her forehead and began to speak on the subject of why they were there.

"Look, the only reason we're here is because we need your help. Our time line is messed up because some stupid fruit loop went to the past and changed everything. We're here to try to make it right, but we need a ride to Wisconsin to do it."

"Whoa whoa whoa," chimed in Tuck with a look of surprise on his face. "Who's in Wisconsin?"

"The cause of all our troubles," replied Tucker as he typed something on his PDA and sent it to his double.

Tuck looked at the image and frowned.

"That's Vladimir Masters," Tuck replied as he scratched his head.

"You mean the guy my parents get the cheese from during their stupid little dinner parties?"

"Yeah." Tuck looked to Sam and Tucker skeptically and shook his head. "The guy's great. How can he possibly be the reason your world is being messed up?

"He wasn't always the upstanding citizen that you believe him to be." Tuck and Samantha jumped at the new voice and whirled around.

Danny suddenly materialized in front of them. Samantha blinked and blushed a bit while Tucker rolled his eyes at the reaction.

"N-nice entrance," stated Tuck as he took a step back.

Sam had her arms crossed while Danny looked around. He morphed back into his human form which caused Samantha and Tuck to point.

"I've seen you before. You're Daniel Fenton," replied Samantha with a smile, seemingly happy to remember the guy's name.

Danny blinked before he nodded slowly.

"But I doubt he's from this time line. I mean, if he was, he'd be in Wisconsin..." stated Tuck as he walked around Danny with a critical eye.

Samantha's smile faded when she saw Sam walk towards Danny.

"No, he's from **my** time line," stated Sam as she wrapped her arm possessively around Danny's neck.

Danny blinked, feeling the tension rolling off of Sam in waves. He withheld a nervous chuckle while Samantha frowned, knowing that it was a warning to her to back off. Tucker walked towards his two best friends while behind them, Jazz, Jack, Maddie and Danni appeared.

"How many of you are there?" asked Tuck with a shake of his head.

"Just us," replied Danni as she returned to her human guise.

"Listen, your Vlad might be the greatest thing since sliced bread, but we need to talk to him. He might not be our Vlad, but he might be able to find help find ours and get him back to our world so that we can set the time streams right," stated Maddie with a shake of her head.

"But what'll happen to us?" asked Samantha as she folded her arms over her chest.

"There are a lot of theories about time traveling and time paradoxes. There is a chance that our time line will cease to exist. There is also a chance that their time line will merely restore itself and ours will branch away from it; a parallel dimension if you will. There is also a chance that our world will continue to function, but certain things will vanish without our knowing, specifically things that were influenced by the person causing the time anomalies," stated Tuck with a frown.

"I stopped listening when you said that our world might cease to exist. That means we'll cease to exist too!" shouted Samantha. "You want to destroy our world to save your own. That's a bit selfish, isn't it?"

"Um, not trying to be mean or anything, but our world was here first," shouted Sam. Tuck and Tucker took a few steps back while Danny stood between Samantha and Sam.

"I won't let that happen. I have a friend who can totally keep you guys in existence. Trust me," stated Danny as his thoughts wandered over to the different time lines he's visited, not to mention his future evil self's existence. He was sure that they were still around. They were just inaccessible.

Samantha looked towards Danny, her gaze was hard and cold, but...she found herself being persuaded by his confidence. She bit her lower lip in thought before she nodded her head slowly.

"I don't know why, but I think that I can trust you," she said as she pulled out her cell phone from her purse.

"Thanks, Sam," Danny said with a crooked grin and a blush on his face.

His Sam, on the other hand, was peeved at the stupid look on her boyfriend's face. She cleared her throat which caused Danny to rub the back of his head nervously.

"You know," began Tuck as he pointed from Sam to Samantha. "The two of you sound identical obviously because you're the same person. Why didn't you just call the butler guy and have him get you a ride? You wouldn't have had to do all this."

"Because one, the two of you are idiots, and I wanted to get you two talking to each other. Two, if I had called then Samantha would have realized something was wrong like she did when I called you. We would have gotten caught and our plans would've been ruined. It was better to do it this way," responded Sam.

Tuck nodded. It was definitely smart.

Samantha hung up the phone and turned to her double.

"Everything's been setup, but there's a catch."

Everyone looked at Samantha who wore the exact same smile that Sam usually wore when she had an idea.

"I'm going too."

"Absolutely not!" stated Maddie. "If something goes wrong, we can't guarantee your safety."

Jack walked beside his wife and placed his hands gently on her shoulders. He had the feeling that things weren't going to be as easy as they were now, and like his wife, he wished that the children weren't involved. The last thing they needed were more children being added to their roster.

"Either I go," Samantha started while holding up her cell phone, "or nobody does. Besides, I want to make sure that our world doesn't get wiped out."

Tuck folded his arms over his chest and stood beside Samantha.

"And if Sam goes, then I go. I'm not gonna miss out on any of this. Besides, I got a bunch of questions."

Sam, Tucker, Danny and Danni looked at Jack and Maddie. This was their only chance of going to Wisconsin. Jazz, on the other hand, already knew that Samantha was going to get her way. She just wondered how long it was going to take for her parents to realize this.

After a few minutes of debating, it was agreed that both Samantha and Tuck would accompany them. Samantha rushed into her house and began to hastily pack while Tuck and Tucker began talking to each other about their differences and why they did or wore what they did. Sam was still peeved off at this world's version of her, but she had to admit that she was satisfied to know that she could still think logically.

Several minutes passed before Samantha came outside. She was no longer sporting her earlier outfit but a white tank top with short fishnet sleeves that showed off her midriff. Her red and white plaid skirt was replaced with a white and grey plaid skirt with red leggings and white steel-toed boots.

"Much better," said Samantha. "Now let's get going," she said as she began to lead the way towards their private runway.

Sam, Samantha and Danny were ahead of the group, Danny in the middle of the two Sams who knew the way to the runway. Danny couldn't help but grin when he realized the position he was in, but his smile vanished immediately when he noticed the disapproving look he was receiving from his girlfriend.

Trailing behind them, Jack, Maddie, and Jazz were talking about the differences between the children and the similarities. Based on the things they had seen so far, they were trying to hypothesize what they'd be like in this world. Danni was listening intently while trying to imagine what she'd be like, but she knew that she wouldn't exist in this time line since Vlad hadn't become an obsessed half ghost who wanted to clone his teenaged half ghost arch nemesis, who also didn't come into existence in this world.

In the middle of Danny and Danni's respective groups were the Tuckers. The two of them were quiet, but they were both thinking the same thing; _How will this effect us?_

Tucker rubbed at his chest before he looked to his double.

"So um, what's the deal with you and Sam?"

Tuck looked at Tucker before realizing that he had been asked more or less about his relationship with Samantha. Tuck shrugged his shoulders before letting out a breath.

"I guess things just changed for us during our last year of middle school. Samantha is filthy rich and all, but was also down to Earth unlike her parents. Sadly though, her parents constantly pressured her to wear brighter colors and to smile more. To get her parents to shut up, she gave in and started dressing like...well... Anyway, when we entered high school, she was accepted into the A-List."

"Wait, she willingly joined the A-List?"

"Yeah, and left me to fend for myself. Man, high school was a living hell for me. I had no friends since Sam ditched me, I always managed to get my glasses stolen and I even had my own personal bully. Eventually I started standing up for myself and fighting back. I even ditched my glasses for contacts, and I let my hair grow out."

Tucker didn't respond. He never realized how different his life would be if it weren't for Danny.

"Sorry to hear that, dude."

"Don't be. It looks like your life is awesome."

"Awesome? I wouldn't say that...I mean it's tolerable. I don't know how I would have gotten through high school if it weren't for Sam and Danny, but they're dating now so I get lonely myself some times, and even when we're all together I sometimes feel like a third wheel."

The Tuckers remained quiet after that, at least until they made it to the private runway. Both Tuckers whistled in awe at the huge runway, then looked towards Samantha.

"Niiiice," they said before boarding the private jet.

Samantha just waved the Tuckers away before boarding the jet followed by Danny, and the others.

The Tuckers took the window seats while the Sams sat in the middle seats. Danny wasn't exactly sure where he wanted to sit, so he sat in between Danni and Jazz while his parents sat together closer to the pilot's cabin. When prompted, they buckled their seat belts and prepared for their flight.

Once they were in the air, and the go ahead to remove their seat belts were given, they found that there was a huge amount of tension in the air. The Tuckers were comfortable enough with each other to hold conversations, but the Sams weren't exactly on good terms. Samantha had definitely left a bad taste in Sam's mouth. Danny, on the other hand, was in his own world. He was torn between Sam and Samantha. His Sam was perfect and beautiful in every form of the word, at least to him. Samantha, who was another version of Sam, was also perfect and beautiful, but in a much more bright and cheery way. It was weird, but also refreshing. Danny scratched his cheek in embarrassment before turning to find that his sister had been watching him.

"What?" Danny asked in a annoyance.

"Nothing," stated Jazz as she quickly turned to look out of the window.

Danny narrowed his eyes knowing better than to believe what his sister had just said. He wasn't stupid after all. She had this annoying ability to see through him and whatever he had to say. Now was definitely one of those times where she knew what he was thinking, and he wanted her to just come out and say it.

"Seriously Jazz, what?"

Jazz sighed while Danni floated over to Sam and Samantha, most likely to get them to talk.

"It's clear to me that you're thinking about both Sams."

"It's not like I'm thinking bad thoughts," stated Danny as his cheeks turned red.

"I never said that," reassured Jazz as she looked towards the Sams. "I just meant that you're really obvious. I don't think Sam would appreciate you comparing her to other girls, even if that other girl is her from an alternate time line."

"I know, but I can't help it! They're both right in front of me! Sam's great no matter what, and this just proves it, despite the fact that she's dating Dash in this time line."

Danny put his head in his hands while Jazz rubbed him on the back. At least her brother was faithful...

Jack and Maddie were silently discussing how to go about this whole situation. They had no idea how the them from this time line would react when seeing themselves. There was a chance that they wouldn't be as receptive as the children were. It was quite scary to them, especially if things didn't go as they were supposed too. Maddie sighed and leaned over to rest her head on Jack's shoulder. Jack wrapped his arm around Maddie and gave her a gentle squeeze.

"I'm tired," stated Maddie sadly as she closed her eyes.

Jack nodded. He was also tired, but he just couldn't sleep. His mind was racing, preventing him from closing his eyes for too long. He was angry, yet at the same time he was curious. The picture that Maddie had pulled up at the library had him wondering just how their lives in this time line was progressing as well as what would happen if they reversed Vlad's meddling.

Jack turned his head back to look at the doubles of Sam and Tucker. The two had a strained relationship, but it seemed that Sam's idea of getting the two of them together and revealing themselves was a good way to get the two to repair their broken friendship. What if this time line was destroyed when the effects were reversed? Jack wasn't sure how to feel about destroying innocent lives just to save their own. It was selfish and something that Vlad would have done. In fact, it was something that Vlad was currently doing.

Jack closed his eyes, feeling a headache coming. He just couldn't think, not with everything happening like this.

The Tuckers and Sams were talking animatedly, each one explaining their lives. It caused a few arguments here and there, specifically between Samantha and Sam, but they were squashed quickly by Danni who would intervene and reminded them of the situation at hand.

After awhile everything quieted down. Danny was sleeping with his head on his sister's shoulder, Danni was sleeping in the seat next to Sam while Tucker was sitting between Tuck and Samantha. Maddie was still laying beside Jack, but Jack just couldn't sleep. Carefully he got up and positioned his wife comfortably, then he began to move about the cabin. He went to the lavatory and used it, then washed his hands and exited. He had a deep frown on his face as he tried to think of how to best approach the situation once they reached Wisconsin. For one thing, he was pretty sure that the him from this time line wouldn't be wearing a bright orange jumpsuit. This was made clear when no one seemed to recognize him or Maddie. He was thankful for that since he was sure that nobody would be able to explain him being in Wisconsin and Amity Park.

His mind eventually wandered over to Vlad, though he tried not to let it. He scratched his head and began to think about Vlad even more than he had throughout this entire experience.

"Why Vladdie?" Jack asked with a shake of his head. "Why couldn't you see that I never meant to hurt you? It would have saved us a world of trouble, literally."

* * *

Clockwork materialized inside of the jet's cabin invisibly which caused the two halfa's Ghost Sense to react, but they didn't awaken. Clockwork closed his eyes and sighed while he watched the only person who seemed to be awake at the moment. Jack was genuinely upset about Vlad's betrayal, and Clockwork had to admit that he was feeling the same way. He couldn't understand why his brother saw things so differently. Of course he knew why Quasar felt betrayed, but why didn't he understand that he merely wanted to keep Quasar from being eradicated?

Clockwork turned visible, which startled Jack to the point that he got into a defensive stance.

"Forgive me for startling you, Jack," stated Clockwork as he sat down in one of the seats opposite of Jack.

For a moment, Jack said nothing, but then he waved the Time Master off like it was no big deal.

"Where do you keep disappearing to?" Jack asked, somewhat peeved. He figured that everything would be much simpler if the Master of Time offered his assistance instead of vanishing every few minutes or hours.

"If I remain in one place for too long, my brother will sense me. If I am to be of any use, then I would need my strength back."

"I guess that makes sense. What happened to you anyway? You're the Master of Time. How'd you get worked over so badly?"

Clockwork lowered his gaze before he looked towards Danny and Danielle. He then turned his attention back to Jack and frowned.

"I'm afraid I didn't put up much of a fight with my brother. I wanted to convince him that what I did was for the best. I wasted my powers on defense instead of offense, and found myself in a bind."

Jack nodded. He could understand exactly what the spirit was going through, and he could see the conflicting emotions that he was trying to hide.

"Sometimes things just don't happen the way we want them to," stated Jack with a sigh before he looked towards the doubles of Sam and Tucker.

Clockwork followed his gaze and watched as the two extra children repositioned themselves to get comfortable.

"As of right now, I cannot be certain of their fate. This time line was manipulated by my brother, and his influence is proving far too destructive to be left unchecked."

"You mean you might have to destroy this world to preserve the Natural Order?"

The question had come from Maddie who was still laying where Jack had left her. Clockwork lowered his gaze to the floor, and found that he was unable to answer the question truthfully. He knew that he was being uncharacteristic, but with everything that was happening, he felt like a lost child who needed direction. It was all so very strange to him, especially since he hadn't grown up like any 'normal' child.

"I'm afraid that I might," he answered after a few moments.

Maddie sat up and watched as Jack and Clockwork looked down uncomfortably. This situation was awkward and something that not only Jack, but even Clockwork hoped to forget, though Clockwork knew that he would always remember this if he survived the ordeal.

"I'm afraid that I must once again depart," stated Clockwork abruptly as he rose from where he had been sitting.

Jack and Maddie looked at Clockwork, each with a bit of anger in their eyes.

"I wish that I could fix this, but I am afraid that the only thing I can do is confront my brother, and to do that I need more time to regain my strength. I also need to prepare to fight Dan who will no doubt want to eliminate me as well."

Clockwork closed his eyes, wondering if everything was as it should be. It wasn't everyday that Clockwork found himself in on the action and nearly powerless. It was the one time in his existence where he felt like a normal inhabitant of the Ghost Zone instead of a nearly omnipotent being.

"I will return," stated Clockwork as he disappeared from the jet's cabin.

Maddie and Jack sat quietly before they looked to each other. They remained silent, but got in comfortable positions so that they could try to get some sleep. Maddie was still tired, but after that visit from Clockwork, she just couldn't get her mind to rest. Jack was the same way, though his thoughts went back to Vlad. How could one man be so blind to everything around him? Jack didn't know, but he was certainly going to ask Vlad when he saw him.

* * *

Vlad pulled up to the three bed room house and parked the car on the curb. He got out and began to make his way towards the Fenton's front door. He rang the doorbell once, then waited for his god sons to let him in. When no-one came to the door, he sighed and tried again. No-one answered. Vlad rolled his eyes knowing that someone was home since he had just gotten off the phone with David and Daniel. What that meant to him was that the two boys had some elaborate trap waiting for him. He was sure of it.

Vlad reached in his coat pocket and pulled out the extra house key that Jack and Maddie had given him, just in case he was scheduled to come by, and they were too busy with some experiment to let him in. He rarely used the key thinking that it was an invasion of his best friends' privacy, but in a case like this he felt that it was necessary to let himself in unless he wanted to wait outside for who knew how long.

Vlad put the key in the hole and turned it before he nudged the door open with his foot. He sighed when he heard something hit the back of door, and watched as some dominoes fell over. He raised a curious brow and watched as the dominoes hit a mouse trap which shot a pin into balloon that was somehow taped to the ceiling right above where Vlad would have been if he had walked inside. The balloon popped causing questionable liquid to come pouring down to the ground.

Vlad smiled as he stepped over the mess that was made by his God son's trap. It probably would have worked if Vlad hadn't been prepared for it.

"Nice try, David," stated Vlad loudly as he made his way further into the house.

David stood in the doorway which connected the living room to the kitchen. He wore a red short sleeved shirt over a black long sleeved shirt, and dark denim jeans with white socks and no shoes. He didn't look too disappointed which caused Vlad to worry.

"Gee, thanks Uncle Vlad," snickered David right when Vlad took another step forward.

His smile faded when he heard something _'click'._ He immediately looked up just in time to see a secondary balloon come falling down. Vlad immediately stepped to the side, dodging the second balloon which he had no idea had been on a thin wire. The balloon swung in the opposite direction, then into his face, popping the moment it hit him. David started laughing at his success while Vlad wiped the lemony-lime smelling liquid from his face.

Vlad sighed, knowing that he would have to clean himself up now. Daniel, who had been at the top of the stairs, walked down with a warm wash cloth and a towel to dry off with. Daniel was wearing a white shirt with a red oval in the middle of his chest, light denim loose fitting jeans, white socks and no shoes.

"Here ya go," he said with a sheepish smile on his face. Vlad nodded his thanks before he used the wash cloth to wipe his face.

Daniel then proceeded to clean up the mess along with David who really didn't want their parents to walk through the door at the moment. David was still grounded for the last prank he pulled.

"So I take it that Jack and Maddie still aren't here?"

"Nope," was David's happy reply.

Vlad rolled his eyes and turned to look at Daniel, who just so happened to be slightly more responsible than his siblings despite being the youngest.

"They did call a few minutes ago though. They said that they'd be a little late because the Dean wanted to put Jaz in some sort of program so she could release some of her anger or something."

"That means, my dearest uncle, that it's just gonna be me, you and Danny for a while."

"Oh joy," stated Vlad as sarcastically as he could which elicited a snort from Daniel. David, on the other hand just rolled his eyes and put the dominoes that he had been picking up away.

Daniel mopped up the floor while Vlad took it upon himself to pick up the pieces of the popped balloons. When the trio finished, David flopped down on the couch and turned on the television. Danny took the wash rag and towel from Vlad, but not before Vlad ruffled the younger boy's hair. Danny grumbled something about being too old to have his hair ruffled and walked up the stairs. David just flipped through the channels on the television. Vlad sat down on the opposite side of David and watched the boy with a bit of interest.

"One of these days you're going to prank the wrong person you know," stated Vlad conversationally. "I mean, the last person you'd want to accidentally or even intentionally prank would be your mother."

David winced as though he had been struck before looking guiltily at Vlad. Vlad, examined the boy only to realize that David had already done such a thing. Vlad let out a hearty laugh at David's expense while David grumpily continued to turn the television channels.

"What exactly did you do, my dear boy?" asked Vlad, though David pretended that he hadn't heard him.

"Davy tried to get Jaz with the bucket-of-ectoplasm-balancing-on-the-edge-of-the-door trick before school. She's usually the first one in the bathroom, and she hogs it for like, ever, so it was Davy's way of getting her back. Sadly, dad was using the master bathroom he shares with mom, so she had to use the one in the hall. Mom managed to get to it before Jaz did and it just all went downhill from there," laughed Daniel as he walked past Vlad and David and into the small kitchenette.

Daniel returned with three bottles of water and handed one to his older brother and to Vlad. Vlad took his bottle of water and nodded his thanks, though he continued to laugh at David.

"I would have imagined that a prank gone wrong like that would cause you to stop altogether."

"Pffft, yeah right. Getting Davy to stop his pranks is like getting you to let go of your obsession with the Packers."

David and Daniel laughed at Vlad's expression. He was clearly annoyed with being called 'obsessed'. Even so, he figured that it was fair game to have that thrown in his face. He shrugged his shoulders and took a sip of his water while Daniel flopped down on the opposite side of the couch. The trio settled for watching a rerun of the New Ghostbusters, and a few other things they thought were interesting. It was several hours later when Maddie, Jack and Jaz finally walked through the door.

Maddie's hair was cut short, but still retained the curls from her college days. She wore a blue-violet shirt with form fitting jeans and black shoes with a small heel. Beside her was Jack who had given up on his bright orange jumpsuit when Vlad finally managed to convince the man that it wasn't cool nor was it ever cool. Instead, he wore a very large orange shirt, that Vlad often complained about, and blue jogging pants, and white socks that were covered by his black boots.

Behind them was Jazmine who wore a blue scarf in her hair, a black top that hung off her shoulders and revealed the blue straps of a halter top that she wore underneath. Her pants matched her blue halter top and scarf, not to mention her socks which were covered by her black and white Converse shoes.

"Oh come on, he totally had it coming," stated Jazmine in annoyance.

"I will agree with you just this once, but you did take this too far. You broke that poor boy's arm," stated Maddie, who sounded like she was tired of having that conversation.

"He deserved more than a broken arm," stated Jack sounding very angry. He placed his arms on his daughter's shoulder and squeezed them gently.

"Jack!" shouted Maddie, sounding disapproving.

"You taught Jaz-erincess self defense to defend herself. From what those other girls said, she did just that! Besides, no boy or man should treat any woman with such disrespect. Jaz tried to break it up, he put his hands on her, and she defended herself. There's nothing more too it!"

Maddie got quiet before she sighed. She still believed that breaking the boy's arm was a bit much, but she had to admit that she was proud of her daughter for not initiating the fight, and for standing up for the other women at her college. It also seemed, to Maddie, that Jazmine had also made new friends when she stood up for those girls. Hopefully they would help keep her out of trouble.

"Oh, V-Man!" stated Jack a little sheepishly as he noticed his best friend and his two younger children sitting on the couch.

"Oh, hey Uncle Vlad," stated Jazmine as she walked past the trio on the couch and towards the stairs. "Dweebs," she greeted to her younger brothers in a playful manner before making her way up the stairs which led to the bedrooms.

Vlad nodded to Jazmine while Daniel and David stuck out their tongues. Vlad turned to his best friends and pointed towards the stairs while mouthing _what happened_ in their direction. Jack and Maddie looked at each other before Jack mouthed _we'll tell you later_. Vlad nodded before he stood from the couch. Daniel and David seemed like they were much more interested in the television all of a sudden which the three adults knew was a front. They wanted to know what happened as well.

"Danny, Davy, why don't you two go up to your room," asked Maddie in her motherly voice.

Daniel and David looked at each other skeptically before turning back to face their parents.

"But the good T.V. is right here," stated David while Daniel nodded in agreement.

"Aren't the two of you too old to whine like that?" asked Jack.

Daniel and David looked at their father, and even Vlad had to look at his friend.

"Aren't you a little too old for dolls?" asked David as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"They're not dolls," Daniel chimed in, "They're action figures."

The two boys shared a laugh at their father's expense, but Maddie ultimately shooed them out of the living room and up to their rooms. She then sighed and sat down on the couch beside Vlad while Jack sat on the opposite side of her. She rubbed her forehead as though she was trying to rub the throbbing ache away.

"Now then, what happened?" asked Vlad, sounding genuinely concerned for his God Daughter.

"For once Jaz-y pants didn't start a fight," stated Jack with clenched fists.

Vlad had rarely seen his best friend mad, but when he did he knew to move out of the bigger man's way.

"One of the boys at the college had been sexually harassing one of the female students. She hadn't exactly spoken up about it, but Jaz had been in the hallway when he put his hands on her despite the protest. Jaz told one of the other students in the hallway to get a teacher and went to confront the male herself. She told the boy to back off, and he did, but only because he had the idea of putting his hands on her."

Vlad clenched his fists while Jack continued speaking.

"Jaz gave him ample warning not to touch her, but he didn't listen, believing himself to be the BMOC. Jaz certainly knocked him down quite a few pegs when she broke his arm and told him off. Of course the teacher had come just in time to see what Jaz had done. She hasn't been expelled, but she isn't allowed back on campus until some sort of meeting takes place."

"I can see why they're concerned. And what of this pigheaded boy who dared lay his hands on Jazmine?" asked Vlad with a frown. He didn't like anyone messing with what he considered to be his family.

"Aside from that broken arm that Jaz gave him, he was slapped with a few counts of sexual harassment and has been expelled. It's one of the reasons why Jaz hasn't been expelled yet. Her act was justified and a lot of the other students are singing her praise. Still, the Dean believes that Jaz went completely overboard and should have told the teachers instead of taking matters into her own hands."

"The absurdity of it all," muttered Vlad as he shook his head. "And how is Jaz feeling?"

"Satisfied with the outcome," replied Maddie with a shake of her head. "Of course she is grounded. Like the Dean, I also believe that Jaz used obsessive force."

Vlad looked towards Jack who just shrugged. Neither could believe that Maddie was seriously grounding Jaz for this situation. Vlad and Jack both knew that if Maddie had been where Jaz was, she would have no doubt reacted the same way.

Maddie caught the looks that her husband and best friend were giving each other, and she frowned at them. Vlad held up his hands defensively while Jack inched his way towards the armrest of the couch.

"Jaz needs to learn that there is always another alternative."

"Yeah she could have broken his leg instead, preventing him from walking up and harassing someone else," stated Jack conversationally to Vlad.

"Quite right, or she could have made sure he would never be able to reproduce," added Vlad with a wry smirk.

Maddie fumed where she sat before smacking both Jack and Vlad on the back of their heads. She then made her way into the kitchen while the two men shared a laugh. Maddie rolled her eyes and looked at the time only to realize that it was later than she expected. She gasped when she realized that Vlad must have been waiting there for them all day. She couldn't help but feel terrible about it.

"Vlad?" she asked as she stood in the doorway.

Vlad and Jack both halted in whatever they were talking about, and turned to face Maddie.

"I apologize. You've been here ever since this morning, haven't you, and it's almost ten."

Both Jack and Vlad looked stunned by the time, clearly not believing what Maddie was saying. Vlad checked his watch and realized that it was indeed nearing ten.

"Oh I hadn't noticed. The boys and I were talking and watching the television the whole time. I guess the time just sort of shot by. I suppose I should go."

Vlad got to his feet, only for Jack to pull him back down.

"Don't be so dramatic, V-Man! You know you're welcome to stay! Besides, if you leave, you'd only have to drive back in the morning! You know we got work to do."

"He's right Vlad! Now, what would you like for dinner, _V-Man_?" asked Maddie with a playful smile.

Vlad felt his cheeks grow hot, so he turned away and debated to himself.

"W-whatever you prepare is fine Maddie. You know you're an amazing cook."

Maddie blushed as well while Jack just rolled his eyes.

"Anyway, I'll get Davy to prepare the guest bedroom!"

"It's already done, dad," stated David as he made his way back down the stairs in nothing but a blue shirt and a pair of red boxers with white polka dots. He yawned as he looked between his parents while rubbing his stomach. "When's dinner?"

The two elder Fenton's rolled their eyes, though Maddie went back into the kitchen to immediately start on their late dinner. Daniel eventually made his way back downstairs in a white t-shirt and a pair of all black boxer shorts. He sat on the reclining chair and started going through the television channels while David sat on the floor in front of the chair that Daniel was in. The two boys argued over what channel they wanted it on, but their argument was immediately squashed when Jazmine came downstairs in what looked like one of her father's old T-shirts and a pair of shorts that were probably a little too short, and swiped the remote from her brothers.

The two grew quiet as Jazmine put it on a channel that, surprisingly to Vlad, had all three of them occupied. Vlad couldn't help but smile at the trio. Despite the fact that they were all so vastly different, they still got along remarkably well.

A half an hour later, and dinner was served. Jack and Maddie sat beside each other with Vlad on the other side of them while Jazmine sat between Daniel and David. Vlad took it upon himself to say grace, and when he was finished, everyone began to dig in. There was friendly dinner conversation between bites and there were a few not so friendly comments thrown in here and there, at least when it came to the children, but other than that it was a very relaxing time. When dinner was over, everyone said their good nights and went to their respective rooms.

Vlad walked into the guest room, which was always there for him if he ever came over and stay for a few days. There was even a change of clothes for him, something that he noticed the first night that his friends had invited him to stay with them. It had brought a warm smile to his face, and he hadn't exactly known what to say. Living by himself was obviously lonely, except those few occasions when the Dairy King came to visit, so when he was invited to stay with Jack and Maddie, he agreed, but only for one night. By the end of that night, he couldn't help but feel like a third wheel, so he hadn't really gotten a good sleep. Maddie and Jack had brought it up to him the next day, and he had explained his feelings to which Jack and Maddie scoffed at him, asking him why he, who they considered to be their brother, felt like a third wheel. Vlad had been touched by their words, but it still didn't change how he felt.

Maddie and Jack then took it upon themselves to force Vlad to stay with them for a week. They had ordered pizza and watched movies, which ultimately made Vlad feel like he really was a part of their family. Jack and Maddie had proclaimed many times that Vlad was their brother, and, though he knew that the statement wasn't true, he couldn't help but the feel same, especially after Jazmine, David and Daniel were born. He'd do anything to protect them.

Vlad closed the door to the guest room and dressed in his night clothes which were green and yellow, but weren't Green Bay. They were just two pieces of different pajamas, something that Daniel had done for Vlad a few years back since Vlad was such Packers fanatic. Vlad shook his head at the memory and opened the door to his bedroom slightly before making his way back over to the guest bed. He yawned and laid down, getting himself comfortable. He honestly hadn't realized that it had gotten so late, but now that he was laying down he could tell.

It didn't take Vlad very long to feel the tiredness take over, and when he closed his eyes he almost immediately drifted off to sleep.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Note:** It's ninja time, dudes and dudettes! (Sorry, I just got around to watching TMNT 2k12 Episode 13 & 14. You would not BELIEVE the field day my best friend and I had when we saw the ending! Mondo tubuloso compadres! *ehem* Sorry. So, I've gotten multiple reviews from one person recently, so let me reply and then on to the story, m'kay?

**King Pariah: *******Chapter 5***

**"XD glad you liked my review. And Dani enters the picture :) and the truth will come out about dan? Poor danny :P**

*****Chapeter 6***

**"Clockwork can't catch a break can he? Everybody is up to date with the phantom timeline (just like the readers) XD And the effects of tampering with the past is taking place Nice XD I like this story**

*****Chapter 7***

**"Nothing is the same anymore XD Wow, all those changes simply because vlad didn't get ghost powers and isnt a seriously crazed up fruit loop? Time travel is complicated XD**

*****Chapter 8***

**The look alikes have teamed up and on their way to wisconsin Meanwhile it looks like vlad is enjoying his new life He is definitely NOT going t want to change it You're doing dreatwiththis story and I am looking forward to next chapter XD That being said, I apologize for not reading and reviewing sooner XD Im also curious and interested in this sequel idea of yours XD**

So In chronological order, lol...

No, I didn't like your review. I loved it! I wish to use it, but it's too late to change it now. :*(

Clockwork will never catch a break. I believe in torturing my favorite characters before making everything sunshine and rainbow sprinkles. Oh wait...no I don't. *maniacal laugh*

I'm glad you like my story. It really does boost morale. :)

I love the theories on time travel and alternative dimensions. It really raises a lot of questions and it is indeed confusing. It's actually probably why this story was so fun to write. Also, it's just really fun messing with the Master of Time. :D

Poor Sam...*sigh* Oh what? Yes they've all teamed up, and you are most certainly right. Vlad is definitely not going to want to give all this up, or is he? I mean, like you said, he's not really a seriously crazed up fruit loop...then again, maybe he is? Oh the torment your mind must be going through, having no idea what will or will not happen. It amuses me greatly.

What?! Don't apologize! It's okay! Honest! Just as long as you read and enjoy. :D It makes my heart grow at least three sizes.

Pffft, you're looking forward to the sequel? But this story isn't even over yet! You might not like the ending and might not want to even READ the sequel. O: Do you really have such confidence in me? It's flattering and simultaneously inflating my ego. d-(^_^)z

**Anyway, King Pariah and all my other reviewers, thanks for your support and I hope you do continue to read and enjoy this story, even if you don't leave a review. Now, on to chapter 9! COWABUNGA!**

* * *

Chapter Nine: Well Wishes

Clockwork closed his eyes as he materialized once more into the Ghost Zone. When he finally opened his eyes and looked around, what he saw shook him to the core. The Ghost Zone was filled with debris that reminded him of when Pariah Dark had ruled the Ghost Zone. His body glowed, but he capped his anger. To say that it had been easy was a severe understatement. Never before had he felt such a way. He could honestly understood a fraction of how Danny felt when a ghost came along to inadvertently cause him grief.

Clockwork shook his head. He may have claimed that he knew everything, but now he understood that he did not. He was like the Observants, in a way; observing those from afar and never getting involved unless necessary. When he did get involved he only had to redirect a certain flow in the currents of time to get the outcome to change, except in Danny's case. Now, he knew that he had much more to learn or, perhaps, relearn. He had suppressed his feelings and had become just as, if not more, arrogant than his keepers. He believed that he knew all...but in reality he was still a child. The realization stung more so than it probably would've if he didn't feel so useless. His powers of foresight had left him, and though he still had the ability to travel the time streams, he would not risk damaging anything any further. His best bet, like he told the elder Fentons, was to defeat his brother and restore the balance of time and even space! That, of course, was easier said than done considering that his brother would not make it easy for him. He knew that much for sure and he knew even more that this was going to be one of his greatest challenges yet.

"H-help!" came a frightened cry over towards Clockwork's left.

The Time Keeper raised a brow. He knew that voice through watching the young ghostling through his time windows.

"Help me!" she cried once more. Clockwork's expression turned stoic as he quickly made up his mind to save the child.

As he got closer, the Time Master noticed the parents of the young little ghostling coming to her aid. He stopped in his tracks and watched as the Lunch Lady carefully pulled away the rubble that surrounded her daughter while the Box Ghost did the same, taking extra special care as though he was opening a parcel with fragile items within it. Clockwork didn't have to have his foresight to know that the debris would fall on the poor girl, despite how careful her parents were being. Sure enough, a large greyish boulder began tumbling towards the family of three, and more quickly followed. Box Ghost and Lunch Lady refused to flee and instead huddled close to their daughter. Before his body could register what was happening, Clockwork had appeared before them with his Time Scepter held high in his hands.

"**TIME OUT**," he proclaimed. As he did so, the debris stopped falling and the trio of ghosts froze as well. With a wave of his staff, the trio of ghosts were removed from their previous positions and to his side.

Before Clockwork could make himself scarce, his powers shorted on him. More than surprised, Clockwork could only stare at his staff and the rubble. That had never happened to him before. He was still weak, he knew that much, but the Observants had gave him full access of his powers. He shouldn't have been that drained. A thought then occurred to him. Quasar had drained him far more than he had realized. It was probably why he couldn't sense his twin . Quasar was most likely resting as well.

The trio of ghosts had escaped his mind until the smaller one of the group pressed her tiny blue face against his. He reared back, momentarily startled while at the same time startling the little ghost girl and her family. The three ghosts knew that he had saved them, but his appearance was...only that of a legend.

"You saved us," stated the little girl shyly before she shouted, "THANK YOU."

Clockwork nodded to the little girl then took notice of how nervous her parents were.

"What happened here," Clockwork asked though he wanted to take it back the moment they looked at him like he should have known. Honestly, he _should_ have known, and he had a feeling that he did but he had to be _certain_.

"Well deary-" started the Lunch Lady nervously before Box Ghost cut her off.

"-I THINK I MAY HAVE MADE DANNY PHANTOM ANGRY!"

Clockwork shook his head feeling his core throb.

"White flaming hair atop his head?" Clockwork asked.

The trio of ghosts nodded.

"That was not Danny," stated Clockwork as he narrowed his eyes.

The trio of ghosts, Box Ghost especially, looked relieved to hear that. They were scared and they certainly had reason to be, for if Danny were to ever turn evil...like he had in that future that no longer existed...

"Who-" started little Box Lunch before her parents cut her off. Box Lunch looked at them confusedly while Clockwork let his stoic mask conceal the smile that he nearly let slip upon his features.

It didn't take a genius or being who could see into the future to know what the little ghostling wanted to ask, but he could not answer her. He couldn't tell her, or anyone that he was the Master of Time. Time was disorderly and that would be quite embarrassing for them to know that.

"You must find some place to hide," he said instead before he vanished from their sight, willing himself into the invisible spectrum while masking his unique signature. The trio of ghosts looked momentarily confused before they flew away with haste.

Once they were out of view, Clockwork reappeared with a heated scowl on his face. Dan had already destroyed his own time line, and Clockwork refused to let him destroy another one. That being said, what was he supposed to do in his current state? It seemed that Quasar's little trick had them both drained, probably more than they thought, which meant that neither one of them had the strength to fight. Clockwork could only imagine what would happen if he were to come face to face with Dan now. The thought that the younger ghost was currently stronger than him angered Clockwork, but he could only blame himself. He had been the reason that Dan was still around.

"Why," he asked himself before he remembered what Dan had asked him.

"_Isn't it hilarious how your brother and I share so much in common? Is that why you kept me here under your watchful eye, Clockwork? You couldn't bare to see me erased from existence just like you couldn't bare to see your brother meet the same fate?"_

Clockwork shook his head refusing to let that conversation get to him, but something in the pit of his stomach refused to let the subject drop. Dan was a monster, but it wasn't completely his fault. Clockwork hadn't realized it until Dan had said it, but that had indeed been one reason, perhaps the main reason, why he had kept Dan around. He had hoped to somehow reform the being just like he had wished to reform his brother, but it seemed as though it was an impossible task. He couldn't help but feel as though he was some sort of optimistic fool, yet at the same time, when he had been able to see the future, he knew otherwise.

"Times change," he muttered cynically to himself while simultaneously berating himself for his foolishness.

Another cry rang out across the Ghost Zone, and Clockwork narrowed his eyes for the cry was immediately followed up with one of concern and then anger. Clockwork once more felt his body move before his mind could register the action. Was this what Danny _felt_ when he went to battle the ghosts that plagued his home? Clockwork frowned at the thought, learning more and more with each passing second. He felt, for once in his afterlife, _haste_ to make it to a destination before it was too late, because he had no clue what would happen.

"The Observants look at time like a parade. I look at, said parade, from above watching every twist and turn it can or will take. _Look _is merely another word for _observe_ which is the same thing that the Observants obviously do. Though we see things differently, we are still the same. We have no real understanding of the situation because we do not _feel_ what is happening. Instead we merely _see._"

Clockwork couldn't help but feel as though he had achieved something through this realization, but he didn't let that sense of accomplishment go to his head. Someone needed help and he was going to see to it that he did something to assist however he could because he felt that this was entirely his fault.

* * *

The blue flaming haired ghost growled as her wrist was grabbed. She was not the type of ghost who liked to be manhandled, but in this case it seemed that she wasn't strong enough to do anything about it.

"Let me go you deranged freak!" she screeched though the white flaming haired ghost merely laughed at the washed up super star.

"Relax, Ember. I don't plan to hurt you, well, much," he said with a seductive smirk on his face.

Ember's hair flared up in panic as Dan pressed himself against her, his hair flaring up and mingling with hers. Ember was momentarily fixated on the male ghost before her before she realized just what he was up too. Her hair began to submerge her in its glow, and it's heat began to intensify to the point where all Dan could do was let go. Once his grip had been removed from her wrist, Ember distanced herself from him, but she couldn't go far. She had already sustained damage from when he had sneaked upon her. Dan chortled at her attempt and was beside her in no time. Before he could grab her once more, a stray net hurtled toward him, ensnaring him in its ghostly green aura. Ember's eyes lit up as she looked towards her savior.

"Skulker!" she shouted as she made her way towards him, thinking how she would never make fun of his self-proclaimed hunter title again or all the gaudy new attachments he would no doubt be adding to his suit.

Skulker quickly flew towards his mate and wrapped his arm around her waist while every bit of arsenal from his suit sprang up and directed itself towards this new...prey.

"You dare lay your hands on the woman of the Ghost Zone's Greatest Hunter?!" he shouted in anger.

It took Dan a moment to realize what happened, but when he did he began to downright laugh. It wasn't a sinister sounding laugh, but a genuine one as though someone had told the world's funniest joke. He couldn't remember the last time Skulker had got the upper hand on him, but he knew that it would never happen again. Skulker was nothing but scum, unworthy to tread the same path of the Ghost Zone as he, and Ember was delusional for choosing the self-proclaimed '_Greatest Hunter_ 'in the zone.

Skulker forcefully shoved Ember behind him before he fired all of his weapons at the laughing phantom before him. The weapons made impact with something causing Skulker to smirk triumphantly before he turned to face Ember. Her ghostly form was repairing itself but she was looking ahead with fright filled eyes.

"His clothes look like the Dip-Stick's," she said fearfully.

"You mean the whelp?" Skulker asked skeptically.

He hadn't really gotten a good look at the other. He just knew that Ember was in trouble and that he had to save her. It was because they were bound together that he had found her so quickly, and he was glad that he did. Skulker clicked his tongue before he turned from her. He planned on getting a look for himself. He floated towards the spot the other had been moments before and watched as the smoke from his weapons assault cleared up. He heard Ember's gasp of shock, and he didn't blame her. The male ghost was gone.

Sure Skulker had released his entire arsenal, but they weren't enough to make a ghost's molecular form dissipate so swiftly. No, there should have been traces of something, anything, but there wasn't. Well, that wasn't exactly true. Skulker's net remained.

"Impossible," Skulker breathed while picking up his net just as Ember screamed a warning to him.

Skulker turned his body towards the side so that one of his weapons could take the hit, otherwise his protective helmet would have taken the blow, and judging by how his weapon melted when the attack collided, he was positive that it was not something he wished to have happened. He was just lucky it didn't hit the jet pack of his suit. It most likely would have exploded.

It took Skulker a moment to realize that he was currently circling his new enemy; entwined in a sort of dance routine with the other ghost. They each dodged the others attacks while calculating the other ones' movements.

Ember had been correct when she said that the other one's suit resembled the whelp's. It even had that signature DP emblem on the chest, but what exactly did that mean?

"Whelp?" Skulker asked after dodging a volley of energy attacks.

Dan looked a bit startled at the name, but then a smirk materialized on his face.

"I haven't been called that in a long time," he stated as his look turned thoughtful, though the smirk remained in full bloom on his face. "Nor have I been called fruit loop," he mumbled as an afterthought.

While his mind seemed to wander, Ember flew towards Skulker. She looked a little better, but Skulker knew she would be no good to anyone in a fight.

"Ember-" he began, but she had already willed her weapon of choice, her electric blue and purple colored guitar.

"Can it, Baby-Pop. I gotta bone to pick with this creep."

With that said, Ember turned the dial on her guitar to the image of a fist. She strummed the strings of her weapon and watched as a purple fist made of ectoplasm came hurtling out of the guitar and towards her opponent. The phantom, she noticed, hadn't even seemed that concerned. Instead, he just held up his hand and formed a shield which her attack just smacked off of. Ember floated back hesitantly before her fear and anger kicked in. She began to strum angrily on her guitar, and didn't let up until she had played an entire song that she herself had composed. When the song was over, her hair was shorter and she looked ragged. She hadn't even been aware that Skulker was in a similar state. He had shot out his entire suit's arsenal until there was nothing left.

He and Ember then shared a smug look, thinking that they had won, but when the smoke cleared, they both knew they had been sorely mistaken. Dan stood there examining his free hand while the other was still extended to keep the shield erect. When he realized that the attacks had stopped, he lowered the shield but kept his eyes averted.

"Nothing could have survived that onslaught!" shouted Skulker who's fear was masked by anger and even a bit of intrigue.

Dan looked over to the two ghosts with boredom gleaming in his eyes, and boredom on a ghost this powerful was a dangerous thing.

"And yet-" the deranged phantom said as he finally looked up, "here I am."

Ember floated back once more with Skulker at her side. They were both out of options. Dan just floated towards them at the same pace they floated back. Skulker knew that they were being toyed with like a prey and its predator. He refused to stand for that. He refused to be _hunted_.

"Go now, Ember. I will provide you cover," stated Skulker in a low growl, just enough for her to hear him. Ember looked at Skulker like he had grown a second attachment to his armor.

"Are you nuts!" she snapped in barely a whisper.

Skulker turned away from her and refused to acknowledge her. He had broken the rule of never letting his eyes leave his opponent, but it seemed that the other was content enough to play with them despite them obviously plotting something. It made Skulker's ectoplasm run cold. It was as though the other just KNEW there was no chance he and Ember would escape.

Skulker pushed Ember back hard, much to her utter shock, while he simultaneously flew forward yelling out some sort of battle cry as he did. Dan grinned at this, and Ember knew that Skulker had made a mistake. She screamed. Dan screamed. Skulker continued to scream, then all of a sudden, a bright blue light engulf both Skulker and Ember much to their surprise as well as Dan's. Dan was motionless for a moment, his gaze darting about as he searched for whoever was tampering with his fun. When he didn't see anything, he turned his attention back to his prey only to realize that they were no longer in front of him, or even around him for that matter.

His eyes glowed a dangerous red as a malicious smirk spread across his face.

"Clockwork," he spat as he debated on what to do. Surely Clockwork was still bent out of shape, after all he, the Master of Time, had run away and was obviously unable to touch him. It was most likely thanks to the bracelet that he wore around his wrist; a protection charm from Clock-y's little brother.

Dan sneered before he flew up higher in hopes of seeing any of the three beings, but he couldn't see them nor could he sense them.

"ONLY COWARDS HIDE!" screamed Dan as he frantically searched the area. When nothing appeared he snarled.

Clockwork's Tower had been demolished, he had saw to that personally, so where was it that the other could go?

"Danny..." stated Dan, though he had no intention of going after his younger self just yet. He hadn't exactly been gathering his energy, and with that Female Phantom, his parents and former friends, he would be in deep sludge if he even tried to get close.

"FUDGE!"

* * *

It took everything he had to pull Skulker and Ember to him, and when he did he collapsed on the floating isle that he had been perched upon. He grit his teeth together knowing that he was going to regret what he had done, for he had 'borrowed' his power from his brother, and Quasar did not grant him permission. _'An eye for an eye,' _Clockwork thought as he looked at the two ghost who he had saved. Skulker was outside of his suit, for Clockwork could not pull the mechanical body, the being inhabiting it, and Ember to safety. The suit, he was sure, was lost in a time loop.

Clockwork curled in on himself due to the intense pain he felt which was a backlash of taking what was not his. The pain only lasted a moment, but it felt like an eternity before he was able to open his eyes. When did he wasn't surprised to see Ember, with Skulker her in the palm of her hands, looking down at him.

"He's up," Ember whispered as though Clockwork wasn't there. Skulker merely nodded, the awe in his eyes was obvious.

"Who is he," Ember whispered.

"Our savior, I would venture," stated Skulker, his tone still sounding awestruck and even a little timid. Ember looked at the mini ghost in her hands as though she was trying to decipher his strange behavior. She seemed to give up seconds later and collapse to the ground beside Clockwork. Clockwork said nothing as he watch the young girl focus on repairing her injured form. Skulker was busy focusing on Clockwork. It didn't dawn on him that he was staring until Clockwork frowned down at the little creature. Skulker backed away slowly before bowing his head.

"I humbly give my thanks, great and powerful Time Master."

Beside him, Ember blanched and turned her wide eyes to the Spirit before her. Clockwork nodded his head, too drained to tell him that his actions were unnecessary or to care that he had been outed. He knew of Skulker's skills at gathering information. He knew that, if anyone, Skulker would be able to tell who he was immediately. He just didn't care at the moment, since he was far to drained and in pain to really do anything about it. Ember bit her lower lip, unsure if she should follow Skulker's lead. As if reading her mind Clockwork forced himself to wave in her direction. She seemed to get the idea, but it seemed her focus was lost for the time being.

The group of three sat silently while focusing on regaining their lost energy. Skulker was stronger than the other two due to mainly using his suit, which he had the strongest urge to ask about, but did no such thing. Why would he when the legend of Time had been the one to save him? Certainly he had a reason because, as the legends said, the Time Master saw all, and he always had a reason.

Ember's form had repaired itself quite quickly when she ignored all outside distractions, no matter how impossible or legendary the outside distractions obviously were. When she finished and finally opened her eyes, she had noticed Skulker extremely close to what she considered to be a deity. Ember was about to hiss at him, but she took notice of Clockwork's appearance. He was worse off than the two of them were, and his body was in some sort of stasis; feeding off the natural energies of the Ghost Zone and, Ember was sure, some other type of natural energy.

"Should we do something?" Ember asked, her nervousness showing. Skulker didn't provide her an answer immediately.

"Clockwork is only a legend, but his Time Staff is known by most. There's not much I know about him or how to help him, I'm afraid."

Ember rubbed at her neck. There was one thing she knew, and it was that they couldn't stay on that rock forever.

"We gotta go," she said as she wrung her hands in the air.

"I know," whispered Skulker sadly. This was the opportunity of a life time, but he knew they could not take Clockwork with them. He would only slow them down for one thing, and he was injured to the point where he was in a stasis. They could not move him, unless they found way as to not jostle him.

"I wish we could take him with us," mumbled Ember and she almost instantly regretted it when she saw a shimmer in the air in front of her.

"So you have wished it-" she started before her eyes landed on the Time Staff. Her words caught in her throat, and she looked down at Skulker and Ember, her eyes bulging out of her head.

"-So shall it be," she continued, the words being forced out of her as was her curse. Her magic fluttered around Clockwork then converged below him, making a makeshift gurney. Ember seemed happy that her wish didn't backfire, though she had a feeling that she knew it was because Desiree, the Wishing Ghost, didn't want to feel the wrath of the deity before them for messing anything up that concerned him.

Ember grabbed the staff and placed it atop the gurney while Skulker hopped upon her shoulder. They began to move and were happy to see that the gurney moved without them having to push it and it didn't bother the occupant resting on top of it. Desiree looked just as nervous as Ember and Skulker felt, but she followed them because she wanted answers as well. Desiree took it upon herself to shroud them all until they came to Skulker's Isle. He let out a strangled cry when he noticed that his realm had nearly been obliterated.

"On the bright side-" started Ember, "It means no one will think to look here for a while."

Skulker looked at Ember incredulously to which she promptly ignored. They then began to make their way to the inner sanctum where Skulker's abode was located. Once inside Desiree uncloaked them, then looked expectantly at Skulker and Ember. Skulker ignored the two women, still greatly miffed with Ember's earlier comment, and jumped off her shoulder. He headed towards the back of his abode past all of the trophies that hung off his wall, and promptly went searching his closet for his back up suit.

Ember took a deep breath before she looked up at Desiree. She felt bad for the wishing ghost, having to grant every wish that she heard, but she had to admit that she was glad she was lurking within hearing distance.

"Is that really...is that really Clockwork, the Master of Time?" she asked. Ember looked him over once more herself and nodded. There was no denying it. There was only one person who could wield that scepter, and there was no way it was some cheap knock-off. Skulker would know.

"He really is quite handsome," Desiree stated as more of an observation than interest. With her track record with men, Ember really couldn't blame the wishing ghost. "What happened to him?"

"I dunno. There's this guy that look like that Phantom twerp who attacked me. Skulker tried to help, but he was overpowered. Next thing we knew, we were beside this guy. He was already beat up."

Desiree felt badly for Clockwork, though she had no idea how such a powerful creature could have gotten his spectral tail kicked so badly. Desiree knelt down beside Clockwork and watched him in his stasis. She noticed the marking underneath is eye and, against her better judgment, she began to stroke at the markings.

Ember felt her stomach drop, scared of what what happened if he were to awaken and see what Desiree was doing.

"Desiree, are you nuts!?" snapped Ember who had to refrain from grabbing the female's wrist. She knew how Desiree would act to unwanted contact, male or female.

Desiree stopped what she was doing and turned to face the hallway that Skulker had gone down. Ember had turned in that direction too, for she had heard his footfalls on the granite like floor. Skulker appeared in his original armor which had the basics, i.e. blasters, missiles, nets, and of course his jet pack, not that he needed it.

"Isn't that the armor that's tied into to that geek kid's PDA?"

"Technus worked the bugs out of it," he said offhandedly.

Ember folded her arms over her chest and looked back towards Clockwork and Desiree. She was once again stroking the marking beneath his eye much to Skulker and Ember's rising panic.

"Do you know the things he could do to you, you crazy woman," snapped Skulker as he went for Desiree's wrist. Ember grabbed Skulker before he had the chance. Desiree looked at the two ghosts and then narrowed her eyes at Skulker before turning back to Clockwork.

"I'm afraid that I cannot help myself."

"Well you certainly need to try! The last thing I need for you is to anger one of the most powerful beings in the entirety of the world. He could erase us from this world and we would have absolutely no idea! It would be as though we never existed!"

Desiree's hand dropped to her lap while Skulker began to pace. Ember looked a little skeptical, but she didn't say anything. In all honesty, she wanted to poke and prod the Master of Time herself. He looked like just another one of them. It was the pendulum in his chest and the staff he held that told them he was different and gave away his identity.

"What if he doesn't wake up," Ember found herself asking only to wish that she hadn't, though that wish remained unspoken.

Desiree looked worried, but it seemed to be a more...in-depth sort of worry. Ember wasn't sure how to describe it.

"Let us hope that he does awaken, otherwise I fear things will never be the same again."

Ember gulped while Desiree once again went back to stroking the mark under his eyes.

"I wish he would at least open his eyes," Desiree muttered.

Ember and Skulker looked at each other curiously. It sounded like Desiree was...but it couldn't be. That was when something weird seemed to happen. One of the silver bracers on her wrist disappeared, though she hadn't noticed. Before Ember could point it out, Clockwork groaned. Ember immediately closed her mouth while Desiree kept stroking the mark beneath his eye.

"Have you gone **mad**, woman?" Skulker asked right when he was about to snatch her hand away.

That was when they all froze in their places. Clockwork had opened his eyes, or at least the one that Desiree wasn't currently irritating. Clockwork merely remained in his spot, trying to recollect his thoughts while everyone else just stood around, with the exception of Desiree who was still crouched down with her hand on his marking.

Clockwork's mind was a mess, but he felt a tad bit better. He didn't quite understand it, but he felt like he had gotten some sort of boost in his powers. He tried to think of anything that would cause it, but nothing came to mind, well, nothing plausible anyway.

He closed his eyes and opened them once again, his mind fluttering back to, what felt like seconds, earlier to when he had saved Skulker and Ember. His expression turned sour when he realized that he must have passed out on that isle leaving himself completely exposed. He wanted to move, but his body refused to let him despite that sudden burst of energy he felt. That was when he began to take in his surroundings and the voices around him. They were panicked and fright filled.

"-Desiree he's going to kill you!"

Ember McClain.

"-You silly girl! Even the Whelp has more common sense than you!"

Skulker.

"-Do NOT touch me unless **I **ALLOW IT!"

Desiree.

The weight suddenly lifted and Clockwork found that he was able to move. Apparently Desiree had been holding him in place. Clockwork quirked a brow at this, but then his expression turned stoic as he listened once more.

"You have a death wish!" hissed Skulker as he released the Wishing Ghost.

"I have no such thing!" she argued as she folded her arms over her chest.

"You pushed him, **HIM**, down!" shouted Ember with wide eyes.

"He was trying to move! He is in no condition-" she stated only to be cut off by Skulker's laughter. It sounded...wrong, near hysterics.

"We're all going to die because YOU had the audacity to boldly proclaim what condition he's in."

Ember and Desiree looked at each other, about to make a statement when someone else voiced the comment for them.

"You're already dead, Skulker."

The chill in the air was not because they were ghosts. The trio turned to face the Spirit who spoke, and each one held their tongues. They had been arguing...in. His. PRESENCE!

Clockwork, despite his current condition, held a mischievous gleam in his eyes, but he did not smile. Instead, he began to look around. No-one said a word, not even Desiree, who had a protest at the ready.

"Skulker's Isle," he muttered to himself as he assessed the situation. They must have taken him to safety when he could no longer keep from going into stasis.

"Yes, Mighty Time Master," said Skulker, not sure if he was meant to speak up or not. His nervousness was clear.

"We couldn't move you because of the stasis, but Desiree helped with that."

Ember smirked when she saw that slight darkening of Desiree's cheeks.

Clockwork looked at the trio, letting his facade slip to show that he was surprised, but it immediately returned to his stoic state. He turned to Desiree who, despite her nervousness, didn't bow or call him by fancy titles. She had her head held high and was looking at him with...expectancy?

"Thank you," he nodded to her, but before she could get too excited, he turned to Ember and Skulker, "All of you."

Ember and Skulker lit up, but Desiree seemed a little disappointed, though her own expression became stoic. Clockwork moved to get up, and despite herself, Desiree moved back towards him and pinned him down. Ember and Skulker inhaled deeply and held the breath that they did not need, being ghosts and all, and watched the events unfold.

Clockwork looked stupefied by Desiree's...positioning. In her haste to keep him from rising, She had landed on top of him. That effectively kept him pinned. She was glaring down at him with her hands on either side of his head, and she refused to get up despite the awkwardness that was clearing building between all the occupants in the room.

"You will go NO WHERE," she snapped down at Clockwork who was still looking up at her with that same stupefied look on his face. "NOT UNLESS I ALLOW IT!" she added, her voice stronger than it was moments ago.

Clockwork narrowed his eyes and Desiree felt that she had pushed her luck a little too far, but Clockwork conceded much to everyone's surprise. Maybe he was much more tired than they had thought. Either way, it just meant they would exist for another day.

After a few moments of Desiree not moving, Skulker cleared his throat. Desiree jumped and quickly removed herself while Clockwork remained where he was, uncertainty swimming through his eyes. What had just transpired between him and Desiree, and why did he let himself concede so easily? He was the Spirit of Time. He was one of the most powerful beings in the Ghost Zone, but he had conceded...perhaps he wasn't as full of energy as he had previously thought.

He slowly turned his gaze towards Desiree, but she was already retreating to give him space along with Skulker and Ember.

"Fascinating," muttered Clockwork as his body began to once again repair itself, this time with him being aware.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid, GIRL!" Skulker shouted once they made their way a good distance away from his abode.

Desiree and Ember were seated on some weird rock thing. It was soft and pinkish in color at the top, then hard and smooth at the bottom. Ember didn't know if she liked sitting on the thing, but it was better than sitting on the ground.

Desiree bit her lower lip, replaying the events in her mind over and over again. Honestly she had no idea what had come over her. She just saw that he was going to get up, and in his condition he shouldn't have been moving let alone talking to them. It couldn't have been the wish she had made...after all, she knew from past experiences that she couldn't grant her own wishes. She had tried on more than one occasion, but was still bound to her curse of granting every petty wish she had heard.

"DESIREE, ARE YOU LISTENING?!" snapped Skulker which snapped the Wishing Ghost from her stupor. She looked at Skulker with a confused gleam in her eyes, which answered his question.

"Lighten up, Skulker. He's not mad or anything," stated Ember, trying to stick up for Desiree because, unlike Skulker, she saw how Desiree felt about the Spirit.

"Lighten up?" repeated Skulker as he whirled his attention towards his girlfriend. "LIGHTEN UP?!" he repeated which caused Ember to shrink under his raging gaze.

"I do not think that the two of you are aware of what could have transpired here!"

"He could have wiped us from existence without us ever blah blah blah," stated Desiree blandly.

"We get it, Skulker! Really, we do," stated Ember before her boyfriend could round on Desiree, "but nothing happened! We're perfectly fine!"

"What if it didn't turn out to be FINE" Skulker said with a shake of his head.

He didn't want to admit that he was scared, but not just for himself. He was scared for Ember. After that...that, Phantom Creature terrorized them, he couldn't help but feel overly cautious. He did not wish to lose the one thing that was worth more to him than his hunting trophies. He would never admit it, but if Ember were to cease to exist, he would not go on. He might not cease to exist, but he will hurt and long for her. He did not wish to lose her.

"I love you," he whispered to Ember, but it was too low for her to hear.

"What was that?" she asked him, taking note of the defeated sag in his shoulders.

"I said...I can't believe you."

Ember frowned before she tossed her hands in the air.

"I'm sorry! You happy Skulk-bot?"

Skulker glowered at the nickname before Desiree cleared her throat.

"Is that...Johnny and Kitty?"

Skulker and Desiree looked up taking note of a motorcycle that was careening out of control. There was only one ghost who owned a motorcycle in the zone. The bike did not stop, but instead it kept going until it crashed into one of the floating isles. Ember immediately put her hands to her mouth and watched the bike explode. Green flames engulfed the bike and part of the island that it had crashed against.

Ember was about to cry out when Skulker pulled her into his chest. Above, the three ghosts could hear the laughter of the dark version of the friendly half ghost superhero. The ghost paid Skulker's Island no mind and continued on his way, not bothering to even stop and see if Kitty and Johnny were alright. Desiree, on the other hand, spotted a shadow looming towards her, and she smiled.

"Don't fret Ember. They are unharmed," she said reassuringly.

"Mostly," muttered Johnny as he and Kitty appeared from Johnny's shadow.

Kitty looked at Shadow who grew smaller once it had relinquished its hold over them.

"Shadow really took a beating," said Kitty in a whisper just in case the flaming haired ghost was still lurking nearby.

Ember ran over to her best friend and hugged her. Kitty was a little surprised, but she didn't argue as she hugged her back. When Ember released her hold, she noticed that Skulker was praising Johnny and Shadow. Johnny smirked at the praise, but then frowned when he looked around.

"We saw how trashed the place looked. 'Figured this would be a good place to hide," he stated before he looked at Skulker. Shadow retreated back into Johnny's form to recuperate while Skulker glared, remembering Ember's earlier words.

Johnny realized he offended the hunter then added, "The place doesn't look as bad as it does from above."

When Skulker continued to glare, Johnny decided it was time for a topic change.

"You changed bodies. Isn't that the old suit that Danny's geek friend can control?"

"I had no choice. The same ghost you eluded had been toying with Ember and I earlier. Also, Technus, for the last time, has worked out the bugs! Drop it."

"Wait, does that mean your other armor was destroyed?" Kitty asked despite Skulker's demand of the subject of his armor to be dropped.

"No, but I do not know where it is." Skulker looked at Ember who was beaming now that she knew her friends were alright. Desiree, on the other hand, kept giving the path towards Skulker's abode discreet glances.

"Why aren't you guys hiding in the bunker?" asked Johnny while scratching his head. He had noticed Skulker's temper wasn't going down.

"Or at least inside the house...unless that's been destroyed."

"My home has not been destroyed. I am merely...out to patrol the area," he snapped angrily.

"Well let's head inside then," stated Johnny as he began to walk towards the abode.

"No, I mean-uh, let's not...just yet," stated Skulker as he rubbed his mechanical neck nervously. A complete one-eighty.

Johnny and Kitty gave him skeptical looks then turned to Ember who was smiling guiltily at them. They then turned to Desiree who had been in the middle of looking towards the house. They hadn't really paid her much attention, but her actions, as well as Skulker's complete one-eighty, attitude wise, was terribly suspicious.

"It's like the three of you are scared," mumbled Johnny towards Skulker's direction. He expected the barb would get under Skulker's skin and cause him to react and lead them towards his home. Skulker did not take the bait, though he mumbled that he was the Ghost Zone's greatest hunter like a mantra.

"Ember, what's going on? Why are you guys out here when it's safer to be inside?" Kitty questioned in Ember's ear.

"Ever here of the Time Master?" Ember asked her best friend just as silently so that Skulker wouldn't hear her. She knew that he wanted to keep the Time Master's existence secret, especially since he was hurt. She knew that Skulker was honored to have Clockwork share the same realm with him, but him resting upon the couch in the living room was an even bigger one.

"Yeah. He's about as Legendary as the Ancients themselves. It's said that he controls all of time. He's responsible for the natural flow of both the human and ghostly realms, but he's just a legend; a fairytale."

"Oh yeah," stated Ember with a nervous grin on her face. "Well Mr. Fairytale is currently bunking on the couch."

"Ember, you're crazy."

"Am I?" she asked while messing with the choker around her neck. Kitty gave her friend a look that clearly read _'duh'_ but Ember just shook her head.

"I'm being completely honest," she hissed at her best friend.

"Prove it," said Kitty while she crossed her arms. Ember was about to accept her challenge but a look from Skulker told her that she had been a little too loud, and that Johnny was now trying to challenge them both to lead the way.

Skulker caved and placed his finger to his lips to shush the two newcomers. If this was the only way to silence them, since they had been getting much too loud, he would do it and hope that he wouldn't regret disturbing the Master of Time. Desiree followed behind the group, sighing as she absently rubbed her wrist. When she realized what she was doing, she blinked. She could _touch_ her wrist. One of her bracers were gone, but what did that mean?

Before she could think too much more on the subject, she found herself in the middle of the room with Kitty and Johnny both standing there slack-jawed. It looked like they wanted to flee, but something was keeping them rooted to the spot. Clockwork, feeling as though her were being watched, opened his eyes and looked at the ghosts that had assembled before him. Kitty squeaked and stood behind Johnny while clutching his arm. Johnny tried his hardest to put on his cool and brave facade but he ended up looking as though he was constipated.

Clockwork didn't seem to be too amused with being gawked at like he was some sort of animal in a zoo. He wanted to say as such but a throb from his core clammed him up. He quickly held out his hand, calling his Time Staff to him. The staff flew between the other ghosts causing them to gasp and panic in fear. Clockwork's eyes turned a brilliant shade of blue which was reacting to his brother being close. Without hesitation, Clockwork swirled his staff around until a portal had been created. With another wave his staff, the other ghosts were sent hurtling through the portal with him flying through it as well.

When they emerged from the portal, they were all in a heap. Johnny and Kitty were on the bottom while Skulker was on top of Ember. On top of Ember was Clockwork and Desiree had somehow managed to find her way back to being on top of him. Clockwork locked his gaze with Desiree while Johnny complained. Skulker didn't seem to mind or perhaps he did. He was silent though. Ember, on the other hand, didn't approve of being in an awkward position and Kitty didn't like being on the bottom due to the dirt and the weight of the others. Without knowing it, she and Ember moved together and managed to make everyone tumble away from each other.

Ember shot to her feet and stretched while Skulker followed suit. Kitty frowned and Johnny glared at Skulker. Clockwork rose as well. Absently he reached down to offer Desiree a hand. She looked a bit confused but she took his hand and blushed lightly at his touch. He didn't return the expression, but there was a weird feeling in the pit of his stomach. _'Another new feeling...'_

Clockwork held her hand a little longer than was probably necessary but the clearing of someone's throat fixed that issue quite quickly.

"Clockwork?"

Clockwork looked up at the sound of his name and was surprised to see where it was that he had actually landed. The group that was behind him looked extremely pale, even for ghosts, and they backed away. The two Observants looked towards Clockwork in complete shock, but it passed as they looked towards the ghosts who had accompanied him.

"More evacuees," stated the first Observant.

"Indeed," stated the second with a shake of his head.

Clockwork looked around and noticed all of the ghosts that littered the immediate area. This was the Ghost Zone but also the human realm; in a stadium. It wasn't big enough for all the Ghost Zone's inhabitants, but it didn't need to be. It seemed that there was some sort of enchantment around the place which extended the boundaries of the building.

"I'm glad we were able to pull you in," said the second Observant while the first one simply nodded.

"You are...weak," stated the first Observant as they scanned Clockwork.

"My encounter with Quasar and Dan has left me battered and warn. I just need to recuperate and then I will be able to handle this."

"And if you cannot?"

"I **will **handle this," snapped Clockwork as he stormed away. Ember, Kitty, Johnny, and Skulker had escaped while the three spirits were talking.

Desiree, on the other hand, had stayed where she was, too stunned for words. When Clockwork had stormed off, she felt inclined to follow after him. She caught up to him and took his arm in hers. He jumped at the almost foreign contact, but calmed when he realized that he was in no danger nor was it the Observants coming to pester him.

"Desiree," he muttered and she seemed pleased.

"I am," she said remembering that they hadn't exactly all been introduced. Then again, he was the Master of Time. He knew all.

Clockwork seemed at a loss for words for a moment, so he turned his attention towards the other ghosts. He knew them all, but none of them knew him, not really, which was why he was unnerved. Their eyes were on him, the words they whispered seemed to be about him. Desiree could sense his animosity and gave him a reassuring smile. He blinked at her, uncertainty swimming in his eyes. He was, for lack of better words, lost.

"I wish I could help you," she said with a sigh.

Clockwork said nothing as he continued to walk with her still clutching his arm. She bit her lip, unaware that the bracer on her other wrist had disappeared. Against her better judgment she pulled Clockwork to a stop and turned him so that he was facing her. That earlier glint of mischief that he had in his eyes were gone, replaced by something else.

"I know that you are an all powerful being, but I can still find some way to help you."

"You cannot," he said with the shake of his head. "This is a battle that was never to involve anyone else."

"Well that is too bad, because we are now involved. Everyone of us has been affected by this whether we know it or not."

Clockwork looked at Desiree curiously, wondering what exactly she was thinking. Out of the other ghosts that were present, she was the only one daring enough to approach him and tell him off. He was truly flustered.

"I-" he began only for her to put her finger to her lips with a teasing smirk. Clockwork cocked his head to the side, but he did not speak.

"Even the most powerful beings in the universe need help from time to time."

Clockwork frowned, but Desiree refused to back down.

"I am willing to help, and I am sure that I am not the only that you will have in your corner."

"That is very kind, but I do not need help."

"From what I've seen, you surely do, no offense."

The voice, Clockwork knew, was from the Ghostwriter. He turned to the other being and shook his head.

"This is not your fight, nor is it your concern."

"A ghost has been wreaking havoc through the realms-"

"-and you believe that it is not our concern?"

They were referring to Dan, not Quasar. Clockwork was a bit relieved, but even so, Dan was just as formidable as his baby brother. Clockwork sat there with uncertainty in his eyes, though his expression was stoic as usual.

"Perhaps...but-"

"No buts," stated Desiree hastily. Ghostwriter, though in agreement with Desiree wasn't as forward. He was just as afraid as the others.

Clockwork couldn't help but to think of a certain half ghost who would probably laugh if he could see what was happening. The thoughts only made the Master of Time sigh outwardly. He no longer wanted to argue. He couldn't. He was physically and mentally tired.

"Spectra...she worked the spell, I assume," Clockwork stated to Ghostwriter who was taken aback.

"Y-yes, but I assisted with my Quantum Keyboard."

"Good work, but I must ask you to refrain from using it again."

Ghostwriter looked confused.

"The power used from your keyboard was born from the power of someone out there who could find his way here through you. We cannot allow that. I do not wish to see anyone else get hurt."

Ghostwriter simply nodded while Clockwork finally removed Desiree's arm and floated away. Desiree looked saddened, and Ghostwriter looked relived. He then took notice of Desiree.

"You look...different. Brighter somehow."

Desiree blinked at the writer's observation of her before she began to look at herself. She did seem a tad brighter than usual but what struck her as odd was the fact that both of her wrist bracers were gone. She stared at her hands confusedly while the Ghostwriter left her be.

"How odd," she said as she began to look around once more.

* * *

Clockwork didn't stop wandering until he found the creatures that he was looking for. The abominable creatures were stuck in their own corner of the vast stadium where they were free to freeze the area for the time being. Their leader, Frostbite, was playing with Box Lunch and Young Blood, the two child ghosts. They were laughing it up until Frostbite took notice of Clockwork. Immediately Frostbite got down on his left knee and placed his right fist over his heart. The children were clearly confused, but then Box Lunch recognized the creature that she believed had saved her and her family. She ran up to him and jumped in his arms with a huge smile on her freckled face. Clockwork caught the young girl in one hand and looked at her.

"I AM BOX LUNCH!" she proclaimed boldly as her father would, then again, her mother was just as loud when she wanted to be. "I never got to properly introduce myself." she finished timidly, a trait that she had to have gotten from her mother.

Frostbite, Clockwork noticed with an amused gleam in his eyes, was cringing though whether it was from the volume of the small ghost or from fear of Clockwork's retaliation, he was uncertain.

"I am Clockwork," he said to Box Lunch as he put her down gently.

Young Blood steered clear of the Spirit. He may have been a child, but he was a lot older than Box Lunch and even some of the older looking ghost in the Ghost Zone. He was secretly the self-proclaimed Peter Pan of the Ghost Zone.

Clockwork stopped before Frostbite and sighed. Everyone and their fear or worshiping of him was getting old.

"Rise, Frostbite. Do not feel that you need to bow to me."

"As you wish, Time Master."

Clockwork rolled his eyes as Frostbite rose to his feet. He looked at Clockwork, taking in his...shoddy appearance. Frostbite winced, and Clockwork let a knowing grin cross his face for a moment.

"I see you've taken in my appearance," he stated.

That seemed to be a bad move since Frostbite lowered his head and apologized profusely for staring. Again, Clockwork found himself rolling his eyes. Honestly, he missed the treatment that he received from the Observants.

"It is fine, Frostbite. It is a bit hard not to notice how tattered I must look. I am...not recovering well. I am unable to keep hold of my energy for I've had to expend it before I can completely recover."

Frostbite had a worried scowl on his face before he nodded his head in understanding. Clockwork was out protecting them, and it must have been hard for him to find a place to rest. But...why couldn't he just eradicate the problem? Was this threat too much for even him?

"I never knew the doppelganger of the Great One would have you so flustered, Time Master."

Clockwork clenched his teeth, and to say that Frostbite noticed was an understatement.

"I did not mean to question your power, Oh Great and Powerful Time Master."

"Frostbite, you will not repeat what I am about to tell you to anyone."

"You have my word," Frostbite said, sounding greatly confused.

"Danny's doppelganger is not the prime directive, but merely one of many distractions."

Frostbite looked increasingly worried, while Clockwork could feel whatever energy he had leave him. He absently shook his wrist, but Frostbite caught it. Clockwork seemed a little surprised (everyone was touching him), but he didn't pull away.

"A hex was placed here," he said with concern as he looked at Clockwork's wrist.

Clockwork raised a brow. It couldn't be...did Quasar have Vlad put some sort of spell on him? It had to have been that red marking that wouldn't allow him to pick up his staff! But...hadn't it warn off? Clockwork looked at his scepter. He was certain that he wouldn't be able to hold it if it hadn't. No, Quasar had given him a time limit, stating that he had a certain amount of time before he could touch his staff. He knew that there must have been more to it than just keeping him away from the item, but he hadn't given it much more thought after he found himself overpowered.

Unaware that he had been lost to his thoughts, Clockwork was jostled to his senses and found that he was surrounded by more inhabitants of the Frozen Realm in a room made completely of ice.

"Wha-"

"The hex is strong. It is what drains you."

Clockwork closed his eyes. He could feel the anger that was building up inside him once. What was Quasar planning? Did he know that Clockwork would elude him? Was he biding his time? Was he hoping that the hex would be enough to do away with him? Clockwork had no idea, and he had no desire to find out or to let his brother win.

"YEOWCH!" snapped Clockwork, with a look of shock on his face. Never before had he felt such physical pain, not even from the fight with his brother and Dan, and he was certain that he didn't want to feel it again.

The Yeti creatures winced at the outburst, but did not look up from what they were doing with his cape out of fear of being reprimanded. Frostbite looked at Clockwork apologetically as he continued working to remove the hex. Clockwork muttered like a child which elicited a chuckle from Frostbite.

A little while later, Desiree had come meandering into the frozen portion of the stadium. She had been looking for Clockwork for awhile. She had wanted to ask him about her bracers, but she had no clue where he had gone. A scowl crossed her features as the thoughts of him leaving in his condition crossed her mind. If he had left, she would hunt him done and give him a piece of her mind.

"Reé Reé!" shouted Box Lunch as she spotted the wishing ghost.

Desiree looked down at the daughter of Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady and shook her head at the child.

"I thought I told you not to call me that," she said with a playful scowl. Despite Box Ghost being an idiot, his daughter was polite and adorable.

"Little Box Lunch, have you seen a ghost with a purple hooded cloak over his head?"

"You mean CLOCKWORK?!" she asked. Desiree seemed surprised, but not by the outburst. It was a trait from both her parents so it had been expected.

"Yes, actually. Have you seen him?"

"He's in the back with Frostbite," she said timidly. Desiree shook her head and thanked the little girl with a pat to the head. Box Ghost giggled but it was cut off by a drawn out 'HEY' when Young Blood nailed her in the face with a snowball from his hiding space.

Desiree entered the area where Box Lunch said that Clockwork would be. She noticed the different Yetis staring at her before they went back to their duties. She had no idea what they were up to, but they didn't seem that interested in her, at least not enough to attack. They were on their guard though, she could see it by how their shoulders had tensed.

She played with her hands and waited for someone to help her, but when nothing happened she proceeded to walk further until she came to a frozen door. She reached outward towards the door, preparing to push it open, but that seemed to spark someone's attention.

"You cannot go back there," he said. Desiree turned around to face one of the Yetis. He was dressed to be some sort of guard she supposed.

"I am merely here to see Clockwork, that is all."

The Yetis looked at each other, then at her. The guard was a little stunned, but then he straightened up.

"State your business."

"My **business** is to see Clockwork. I've already **stated** it, you fool."

The Yetis looked a little flustered. They were a peaceful race by nature, but with everything happening around them they were antsy.

"I don't think-"

"It is fine. The great and powerful Time Master has allowed it," stated Frostbite from the entrance to the room.

The Yeti guard was unsure, but Desiree merely floated past him and into the room with a satisfied smirk on her face. Clockwork was seated on a chair made entirely of ice. One of his arms was wrapped all the way to his elbow, and he looked like he was exhausted. She rushed to his side and looked him over with a critical eye. He sat silently as she scanned him, though he was increasingly growing more uncomfortable. Even so, he said nothing, not even when her face had become mere inches from his.

"I thought you left," she said with a bit of anger in her tone.

"I did not," he replied as he kept his eyes to hers.

"I would not have been surprised if you had. You seemed so adamant about not letting anyone aid you. I would have chased you down and made you suffer."

"I do not doubt that you would have chased me, but I doubt you would have been able to make me suffer."

Desiree looked angry while Clockwork gave her his knowing smile, but it was immediately taken away when he realized what he was doing. He had seen it in his time windows on humans and the ghosts. He was flirting.

Desiree did not move closer, but she did not move away despite the obvious unease that Clockwork was exuding.

"What happened to your arm," she questioned as she placed a gentle hand on it.

Despite her being gentle, it still hurt.

"A hex, but Frostbite has removed it from me."

The words just kept pouring from his mouth. Why?

"Is that why you weren't recovering properly?"

"It was, but I shall be well soon-"

"And then you will leave?"

"And then I shall take my leave, yes."

Clockwork was certain he saw Desiree quickly mask the hurt in her eyes, but she was not fast enough. Before he could bite down on his tongue, he said, "But I will return."

**TBC**


	10. Chapter 10

**Authors Note: **Hey guys! Welcome back to another installment of this story. I was thinking of doing a double update, but then I decided against it. "Why," you ask? Simple, remember, there are only fourteen chapters to this...(and a bonus full of deleted scenes that after much debate I decided that I was going to put in for the heck of it.) That means this story is almost done. I mean, we're on chapter ten! We don't want to rush into anything, do we? No? Glad you agree. Here's a cronut. :D

REVIEWS! Again, only KingPariah. Hmmm...

**KingPariah: "Wow...all my reviews answered at once XD yaaayyy**

**(Clears thoat) on with the review...**

**The GZ is just as messed up as the human world, if not worse since the ghost have Dan on the loose.**

**I love the unity between the friendship and unity the ghosts have.**

**Clockwork, master of time. Respected and feared due to his great power...is currently to weak to fight his way out of a paper bag. **

**xD**

**The interaction between CW and Desiree seems to implie a possible couple. :) also her bracelets vanishing make me think she's either free of her curse or she will be. XD**

**And yes I do have faith about your sequel XD but like you said, let's see how this story goes. :) keep up the good work.**

I'm just an incredibly nice person like that. Wait, that contradicts my evilness. Does that make me some sort of anti-hero! NOoooo! *curls in on self.*

Dan is the least of the Ghost Zone's worry. :D I think I may have said too much, then again it depends on how you interpret it. Nyeheheha.

I try to keep the friendships like it would be if you were to watch the show. It's one thing I appreciate about _Danny Phantom_. The camaraderie between the characters is something I adore within this show. As for the unity between the ghosts, I believe that some ghosts have bonds that aren't really too much shown, but you can tell that they're there. For example, Kitty and Ember came from the episode Girl's Night Out. (The episode where you learn that Ember and Skulker are an item.) Of course, there is a lack of Spectra in this story. :( For Box Lunch and Youngblood, they're both children, though YB is older. I thought it was fun to see that. Box Ghost and the Lunch Lady don't really get too much screen time with the other ghosts except the Christmas episode and the time when Box Ghost had an entire episode to himself. I thought it was fun to give them a bigger part. :D Whoo that turned into a lot of words fast.

I give you the pairing I dub _Wishful Times. _That is also the title for a...hmmm never mind. :D :P

That warms my heart while simultaneously inflating my ego and putting massive amounts of pressure on me. Good show, very good show. .o_o.

**Alright review response is done! Thanks KingPariah and to everyone else who has left a review and whoever is currently still reading this. Stay tuned at the end of this chapter. I have more ramblings to ramble to you about, and maybe a few explanations and things that might interest you.**

* * *

Chapter Ten: Power Packed

Clockwork had fallen into stasis after his talk with Desiree, but she hadn't left his side. It was strange, but she felt an attachment to him. She had just met him, and he was one of the most powerful men that she had ever met, but she did not care. He was a bit cold, but she could see the emotions in his eyes. She knew how to look for them because she too had those same mannerisms. She hid her pain and turned it to anger as to not let anyone see her sadness. There had been one time, however..._No_, she refused to think of that. She refused because it was in the past and this, here and now, was the present.

She looked down at Clockwork and once again began to run her fingers gently across the mark over his eyes. She could only imagine where he got such a thing. She knew a few ghosts who marked their skin, but those were usually for magic or to enhance there abilities. One that came to mind, in particular, was Lydia. Her markings were enchanted to come to life when she willed them too. They could do anything from attacking someone all the way down to being used as tracking devices. The little buggers came in handy, but Desiree wasn't the type to mar her skin. She was not vain, but she just did not wish to have markings up and down her body. It was just not for her.

She had sat with Clockwork for hours, she knew thanks to the sun beginning to rise on the outside of the stadium. She was certain they weren't in the human world and that did have her curious, but it was not what mattered at the moment. What was important was that she was safe and in the company of someone that she didn't mind being near.

Desiree thought this over the last couple of hours, but she still couldn't quite understand why it was that she was drawn to him. It wasn't because of his power nor his status. She had not lied when she said that he was handsome. He hadn't been awake for her to know his personality, but she could tell that he was kind. Perhaps it was his kindness? No man had really been kind to her for the sake of being kind, except for the sultan who had spoiled her, but then again...

Desiree shook her head. She would not think of that man or his jealous wife. That was behind and beneath her now. Desiree sighed as she began to run her finger's gently up and down the bandages of his arm. She frowned when he told her what happened. Someone had placed a spell on him that was so powerful it drained him. She had never heard of such a thing, but knew that it was most likely possible. Again, her mind turned to Lydia, but it also turned to Spectra. The Ghostwriter had his own special brand of magic as well. He could control people with a few keystrokes from his Quantum Keyboard, and even she could cast spells, but that was only if someone made a wish.

A wish...

Desiree looked at her bare wrists in wonder. Two of the four bracers that, in life, she had wore for decoration, but were now what bound her to a life of servitude, were starting to vanish and she honestly had no idea why. She couldn't even recall the instances they had vanished because she hadn't been paying attention, but she was sure that Clockwork was somehow connected. He was the only factor that was different in her afterlife.

Desiree frowned as she looked down at the 'sleeping' form of Clockwork. For an omnipotent being, he looked like a young man barely old enough to be out on his own. She giggled to herself at the thought, then covered her mouth. When was the last time she had giggled in such a way? She was uncertain, but she liked the feeling. It made her feel warmth despite the coldness of death. Was this what Ember, Kitty, Lunch Lady and Spectra felt towards their respective lovers?

Desiree played with the beads on her top before she sighed. She couldn't remember the last time she felt like this. It was scary, yet exciting at the same time.

Frostbite entered the room with a slight frown on his face. He would have thought that Desiree would have left Clockwork to rest. After watching her silently for a few moments and listening to her giggle, he couldn't help but smile. She was infatuated with him, and the way Clockwork had acted earlier that day...it reminded him of Danny, the Great One, and Sam, Lady of the Great One. The Great One had always been clueless. It had been the subject of many ghosts and word spread quickly. When the two finally got together, Frostbite had held a feast in his honor, though Danny hadn't joined them nor had anyone retrieved him. They knew he would be busy and they knew he'd be embarrassed as would Lady Sam, and she was a scary one.

Frostbite walked towards Desiree and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, her gaze seeping with malice, but Frostbite didn't retaliate or show fear.

"Would you like something a bit more comfortable to sit on?"

Desiree's expression softened as she looked at Frostbite, then she thought upon his words. She nodded and he motioned for her to rise. When she did he pointed his hand at the ice stool she had been sitting on and from out of his hand came a beam of ice not unlike that of Danny's Phantom Phreeze. Desiree seemed slightly confused but said nothing. It didn't take very long for an intricate looking chair, similar to the one Clockwork was situated on, to form. Desiree smiled and hugged Frostbite. Not only was she sitting comfortably, but she was in a much better position to watch Clockwork. Frostbite took his leave at that.

* * *

Clockwork opened his eyes and waved his hand in the air for a few moments before his staff finally flew into his it. He stifled what he was sure was a yawn and looked at the base of his staff. It read eight fourteen. He blinked before he sat up. He heard a content sigh beside him and turned, only to notice that Desiree had her own chair and was sitting beside him. He was definitely confused, or he would have been had he not seen a particular see through arm retreating from the room. Clockwork sighed and rubbed his head before he realized that he felt stronger than before.

"I must really give my regards to Frostbite," stated Clockwork as he looked towards the door which lead back into the rest of the stadium. He then turned his gaze towards Desiree. Had she been with him the entire time?

He remembered that he had heard her arguing with one of Frostbite's guards the night before, and he hadn't been in the mood to hear their bickering after his arm had basically been encased in ice and cut into to remove the hex. Luckily the spell hadn't spread, which Frostbite had commented on several times. Apparently it was strange. Either way, Clockwork had allowed her entrance and she rushed towards him. He had seen the rage in her eyes and was confused as to why it was directed at him.

She had expressed her concern for him and she had even expressed her sadness when he said that he would be leaving. She had cheered up when he said that he would come back, though he had no idea why he had said such a thing. He had no desire to start something with her, especially if everything turned out okay. He would have to do a memory wipe, which wasn't as hard as people assumed it would be, to everyone and he couldn't play favorites.

Clockwork began to float towards the door, ignoring the bright energy that seemed to trail behind him when he moved. Just when he was about to open the door, he heard Desiree shift where she was, and he could literally feel her gaze burning holes in the back of his head. He was sure that if he turned around there would be a huge puddle in the place of their chairs.

"Desiree," Clockwork acknowledged without turning around.

"You're leaving," she stated rather than asked.

"How very...Observant of you," he said as blandly as he could.

"You seem to be oozing with power. Whatever the Yeti did, it must have been very effective."

"It was."

Silence. Movement. Closeness.

Desiree turned Clockwork to face her, and he did not fight it. He looked at her and saw the hurt in her eyes.

"I know why it is that you distance yourself from me, Time Master. You are uncertain, confused and afraid. You do not wish to let others get hurt in your steed. You feel that this burden is yours alone to bare, and it may be, but I will not LET it be. That is MY wish."

Clockwork said nothing. He could not. The only person who expressed themselves like this was Danny, the only person that he could really consider a friend and ally. Now he had another, perhaps, in Desiree? Or was she looking for more? Was she looking for power? Clockwork averted his gaze, but took note that one of the bracers on Desiree's upper arm had vanished.

"You are sincere," he finally spoke. It was clear that he was surprised, but Desiree couldn't understand why.

Well, she couldn't say that. He was the Time Master he knew all about her including her darkest secrets. Perhaps that was why he seemed so cold? Perhaps that was why he was really trying to keep his distance, at least from her. He knew her all to well...knew the things she had done just to get ahead in life. That was why...he would not let her near.

Desiree dropped her arms to her sides and lowered her head.

"Forgive me, Time Master. I do not know what came over me."

Desiree hastily made her way past Clockwork, and he knew if she was alive she'd have tears streaming down her cheeks. What had he done to make her so upset? Clockwork exited the room and took note of the stares he received. Some of them were disapproving, some stoic and some were just as confused as his own. The need to defend himself was strong, but he kept whatever he had to say down, and instead he gave a bow to the Yetis who returned it.

"You have no idea how grateful I am. I would not have been able to figure out what happened to me without you. Thank you."

Clockwork could almost see the pride exuding from Frostbite and his people.

"Thank you, Time Master," stated Frostbite as he smiled at Clockwork. As Clockwork began to press forward once more, Frostbite began to walk by his side. Once the two were out of range of the others and anyone else who would be listening, Frostbite let out a sigh.

"Is something the matter?"

Frostbite looked towards the crowd, unable to see the genie-like ghost.

"You should talk to her. She stayed with you; watched over you through the night."

"A being of my stature is incapable of love, no matter how much I may wish it."

"You are capable of feeling pain, are you not?"

Clockwork bit back a retort because both he and Frostbite, as well as any Yeti present during his de-spelling, knew that he was indeed capable of feeling pain.

"Love, like pain, is an emotion."

"You do not understand. In my line of work, I cannot let my emotions hang over me, and there is no stronger emotion than love."

With that, Clockwork made his leave. Frostbite shook his head, feeling upset for Clockwork, but on the bright side the male was certainly up to snuff. He hadn't known just how bad a shape Clockwork had been in. It was as though his form was being held together by flimsy thread and the Will of the Ancients themselves. Now he was almost fully recovered which was remarkable because he was more powerful than any ghost in the stadium at that very moment.

"Be careful and be prosperous, my friend."

* * *

Ember, Skulker, Kitty, Johnny, Box Ghost, and the Lunch Lady were more or less speaking to each other. Ember, Skulker, Kitty, and Johnny had been the subject of gossip that morning since they had arrived with the fabled Master of Time. It was a silent ten minutes before Box Ghost began to, for once in his life, silently speak of their run-in with the Master of Time. Ember seemed skeptical at first, at least until little Box Lunch had told her version of the story, which matched perfectly with her parents except for her meeting with him when playing with Young Blood. Her parents turned a few shades lighter, and lightly reprimanded the girl for bothering someone so important.

Ember and Skulker both shared a look, Ember giving Skulker a look saying '_I want one_' and Skulker giving her a look that was no doubt a _'No'_. Johnny and Kitty spoke silently while eating what the Lunch Lady had prepared. It seemed that she had been designated as the chef for everybody in the place, but with her ghost powers it was no problem. Everyone had been pretty weak, so some sort of sustenance was to be expected. It was basically food shaped blobs of ectoplasm.

The group remained together and quietly talked about the ghost that looked like their little halfa superhero. Everyone had been so surprised by the emblem on the older ghost's chest because everyone in the Ghost Zone knew that Sam had made it for him. Desiree had spread that one around until it reached everywhere. When the subject switched to Danielle, or Danni, everyone got quiet. Their thoughts immediately went to this new, bigger ghost and everyone began thinking that Vlad had somehow made another clone. Skulker assured them that he didn't, and everyone seemed to take his word, and why would they not? Skulker was one of the most trustworthiest ghosts in the zone despite his need to hunt and adorn pelts on his wall. He was a great information gatherer as well which was why he was so valuable to Vlad when the older Halfa was around.

Skulker sighed at the thought of Vlad before shaking his head. There was no way the older male would show his face in the Ghost Zone. His bumbling nearly cost the entire Ghost Zone their afterlives. Technus found out about Vlad's satellite and had been secretly monitoring it. When it had exploded, he hadn't immediately gone to Skulker. Only after the Disasteroid crisis had been averted did Technus show Skulker. Skulker hadn't wanted to see the footage at first because it was his employer's private satellite, but when Technus had managed to convince him, he had gave in. It was then Skulker had learned that it was Vlad who had caused the explosion which then caused the asteroid to go hurtling towards the Earth to begin with.

Ember continued talking to Kitty and the Lunch Lady, then turned to face Skulker. She had seen that face on him plenty of times to know he was thinking about that jerky older Halfa. She leaned her head against his shoulder which caused him to turn. She tried to smile sweetly at him, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Skulker returned the attempt with one of his own, but then the silence alerted him to something strange. Ember took a little longer to notice the silence as did the other two couples, but when they did they could hear weeping. Ember hovered above where their group sat and looked around until she saw Desiree flying from the snowy side of the stadium. Ember placed her hands on her hips and frowned at Desiree's display. Usually she was a lot stronger than that; not letting anyone see her weakness. Ember felt her ectoplasm boil as she flew towards Desiree.

"Hey," she shouted before she took Desiree's hands away from her eyes. Desiree looked at Ember and hugged her, startling the pop princess. She and Desiree weren't exactly friends and she wasn't exactly the physical contact sort of person. Actually, she was just starting to open herself up to Skulker, and a bit to Kitty, and that had taken many, many years, centuries at least.

Ember laughed nervously as the crowd looked at them.

"Ohhh-kay, Desiree. It's gonna be fine."

"NO IT'S NOT!" she wailed as Ember finally got her at arms length.

"Come on, let's go over here and talk-" stated Ember to Desiree before she looked at the crowd and flared her hair violently. "-In **private**." she snapped which caused to crowd to go back to what they were doing, or at least pretend to go back to what they were doing.

Ember led Desiree to the others and sat her down while waiting expectantly for the wishing ghost to say something. After a few minutes of nothing, the Lunch Lady decided to try to coax out an explanation.

"Deary, what seems to be the matter?"

"I WAS A FOOL," she shouted with a shake of her head. "I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT I WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FOR THE MASTER OF TIME!"

Desiree started crying into her hands while Ember clenched her fists. How dare that pompous jerk say such a thing? Skulker saw the look in his girlfriend's eye and shook his head.

"Ember, don't even let that thought into your mind."

"Too late, Baby-Pop."

"Do you have any **iota** of self-worth or self-preservation!?" he snapped at the girl beside him.

Desiree looked towards Ember with a small smile.

"I'm used to it," she said lowly.

"That is **NOT** a good thing," Ember snapped. "I dun care who Clockwork thinks he is. I say that **he** isn't good enough for **you**!"

Ember's breathing was heavy as she glared at Desiree. That was when she began to take notice of the ghost's appearance.

"Hey, you're missing three little bracer thingies."

Desiree looked at Ember, confusion evident in her eyes.

"I only know of the two on my wrists. Has another vanished?" she sniffled.

Ember pointed towards her own left shoulder while Desiree reached for her right. She felt skin on that side where her bracer had once been.

"I do not understand," she said as she looked at the others.

"Maybe your spell is almost broken?" Kitty finally spoke up, glad of the subject change. She didn't want to speak on the matter of Clockwork and get caught by him. They were in the same compound after all.

"How does the spell go again," Johnny asked. He also seemed to be glad of the subject change.

Desiree closed her eyes and began to recite her spell, the curse that bound her to grant the wishes of others.

"_Beauty which knows of no heartbreak, shall learn the pains of true heartache._

_Until she finds what her own heart truly requires, she is forced to grant wishes of others desires._

_May she always wear these bands as a reminder to her as she traverses the lands."_

The three couples watched as Desiree finished up the words to the spell that bound her to her wish granting curse. She had never forgotten those words. They were recited by the wife of the sultan who had fancied her. It was the reason why she died of a broken heart and old age. She sighed, shook her head and opened her eyes while Ember leaned against Skulker with a thoughtful look on her face.

"Well it seems like you've found something that your heart truly requires, and the bands are comin' off," stated Ember while Skulker nodded beside her.

"But I have no idea what that requirement is," she whined with a shake of her head.

"When did this start?" the Lunch Lady asked while Desiree began to play with the beads on her top once more.

"Yesterday, when I helped Ember and Skulker with Clock-"

Desiree bit her tongue while Ember just grinned like an idiot.

"It cannot be something so trivial," she snapped harshly. "I desire no man."

"You do realize that you, YOU, of all people were crying in front of the biggest crowd of ghosts I've ever seen, right?" stated Ember as she played with a left over piece of food.

Desiree said nothing, but her cheeks did get darker.

"You called yourself a fool, too," added Kitty while she leaned against Johnny who rolled his eyes.

"Let's not forget that you were upset that he didn't seem to return your feelings," stated the Lunch Lady as she placed her hand on Box Ghost's thigh. "Any other time I doubt you would have cared or rather, showed that you were hurt."

Desiree closed her eyes to ignore the others, but it just wasn't working. After so many years, how could she feel something from, of all things, a man? She had thought that perhaps she would have better luck with women, but even that hadn't worked out. She chalked it up to the Sultan's wife influencing her judgment of women as well as the violent men who kept entering her afterlife. She could not see herself with anyone and deep inside it stung.

"And that reminds me," stated Ember in response to the Lunch Lady's remark. Desiree opened her eyes and noticed that Ember was on her feet. "I have a Time Keeper's clock to clean," she said as she slammed her fist into her open palm.

"You are out of your mind!" Skulker snapped as he tried to pull her back down, but she merely jumped out of his way.

She felt her back hit something, and the look on her cohorts' faces told her that it was the topic of their conversation. Ember only had a second to take a breath because her body turned around faster than she could process. She opened her mouth to speak, but she noticed his aura. She noticed the power that flowed from him in waves. If she hadn't been so loud moments ago, she would have noticed how quiet it had become and the awkward feel and power that hung in the air. She swallowed thickly before she took a step away from Clockwork. It seemed that she had lost her nerve.

Desiree refused to look at him, and he refused to look at her as well. He was the Master of Time not some hormonal human. Love was not a luxury he could afford in his line of work, and he knew it. Clockwork looked at the three couples and gave them a nod of his thanks. Box Lunch had come from seemingly nowhere and tackled the Time Master. Box Ghost and Lunch Lady were on edge, but Clockwork just gave the child a knowing smile.

"You're leaving? WHERE ARE YOU GOING?!" she asked much to her parents chagrin.

Clockwork held the girl in his arms, not entirely sure of what to say to her. He was going to see Danny, but Box Lunch wouldn't know who he was. They weren't exactly acquainted yet.

"I have to go stop the bad ghost," he said as he put the little girl down. Box Lunch pouted and folded her arms.

"You're coming back?"

Clockwork seemed to be pondering it. If he survived, he would have to most likely wipe out an entire time line and erase all of the Ghost Zone inhabitants' memories. The answer was, he was hoping, yes, but she would not know of it or of him, at least until he pulled her away to help him bring Danny closer to the test answers for the C.A.T.s, but that was a paradox that only he could comprehend.

"No," he answered simply which prompted Desiree to rise and extend her hand, sending out a beam of energy at Clockwork.

Clockwork merely grunted his discomfort, for the beam had hit his arm which was still wrapped. Ember and Skulker scampered further away while Box Ghost grabbed his daughter and his wife and pulled her away. Kitty and Johnny had already moved when Box Lunch, that brave suicidal girl, kept the Time Deity occupied.

If the room hadn't been silenced before, it definitely was now. The Observants, who had kept there distance, for they were still uncertain of Clockwork's agenda, had their eyes opened wide as well. They couldn't remember the last time a mere ghost laid an attack on Clockwork for Dan was no mere ghost and Quasar was a Spirit and Clockwork's twin.

"Say goodbye to Desiree," Skulker whispered to his girlfriend while holding her close.

"You are still injured, Time Master," she sneered. The grunt he made obviously did not go unnoticed.

"I can assure you that I am fine."

"And I can assure you that I do not believe your lies. I can see through them. I can see the truth in your eyes. Though your body resonates with power, you are still recovering. You are weak, Time Master, and you will go out there and you will get hurt once more."

Clockwork, for once, showed his anger on his person. Desiree hesitated while everyone else made their way towards what appeared to be the nearest exits despite the safest place being in_**side**_ the stadium.

"You are not to tell me how it is that I feel, when I can or cannot leave, or why I should or should not do something. I am the Master of Time-"

"And yet when you walked in here you were on par with us mere ghosts. You were in no condition to fight and now you're ready to go off like some child on an adventure. You are not so different from us. The only thing that separates you from us is the power you possess and nothing more."

Once again Clockwork stood there looking stupefied. His anger subsided a bit before he shook his head. He did not have time for this. They did not have time for this. Soon Dan would realize that all the ghosts were being evacuated. Soon Quasar would go to Dan and the two would destroy what was built up over the millenniums. Soon, it would all cease.

Clockwork turned his back to Desiree but turned his head slightly.

"You need not concern yourself with me, Desiree. You are not my keeper, they are," he said as he pointed towards the two Observants who seemed quite taken aback at being outed like that. They both narrowed their eyes and continued to watch Clockwork.

"I do not wish to be your keeper," Desiree mumbled tiredly as she shook her head.

"Good. This is hopefully the last any of you will see of me."

With that being said, Clockwork worked his magic. The portal came easier than before, but he had to work quickly. He saw the plane that Danny, his family, and his friends were on and he floated in, but the simple action immediately turned into a tumble followed by the protests of two Observants, a biker and his girl, a fallen rock star, and self-proclaimed great hunter.

* * *

It was about seven in the morning when Danny had finally pried his eyes open. He yawned and turned over only to realize that his bed was smaller and had armrests all of a sudden. Hastily he tried to move because for some reason he felt like he was strapped down. The sudden motion made him tumbled to the floor. He moaned before he heard the chuckles all around him.

"Huh? What happened?" he asked drearily as he peered over to see the blond haired version of his best friend.

_'Blond hair?'_ he thought before he looked around, trying to recall everything that he could. He remembered his visit to Clockwork. With that came the memory of why he visited Clockwork. He groaned at the thought, but pressed forward. He remembered Clockwork acting weird, the Observants, the room with the stars...Danny felt his stomach turn uncomfortably. It had to be a dream, but the blond Sam and dread-headed Tucker told him otherwise.

Danny recalled the fight with Vlad, the stealing of the Time Scepter, then being sent back home. He remembered Dan appearing which caused Danielle, who was currently sitting between his mom and dad, to appear. He then had to explain away the two of them, and then Clockwork came to his _**home**_ all messed up and told them of his failures.

"Great," mumbled Danny as he finally recalled enough data to give himself a headache. "Remember when hunting ghosts was just, ya know, us hunting ghosts with a souped up thermos? Remember those days?" he asked as he looked towards his Tucker and Sam.

They both gave him apologetic looks while he sat up and leaned against the chair he had been apparently sleeping in.

"No-one said it would be easy," said Sam as she gave a discreet glare to her blond counterpart.

"Yeah, we all knew that it wasn't going to be the Box Ghost everyday. Eventually you would have sent him to the afterlife permanently," stated Tucker jokingly.

"Guys, I'm serious. Do you have any idea what's happening?" Danny shouted before running his hand down the front of his face.

Maddie rose to her feet and walked over to her son with a small smile on her face.

"Sweetie you need to relax. Everything will work out for the best."

Danny looked at his mother.

"Even if that came from an overly optimistic ninja I wouldn't believe it right now."

"Oooh-kay," stated Samantha who felt that she had been quiet enough.

The others turned to face her.

"We got the introductions and life story things out of the way last night, but don't think those were the questions we had in mind."

Tuck nodded his head in agreement while Sam merely sat with her feet on the table of the jet.

"I want to know how it is that you came to this time line. I want to know what's stopping our time line from disappearing while yours remains intact. I want to know what the plan is, after all, I **can** turn this jet around."

Samantha was not kidding and Sam knew. She took one leg off the table while Tucker and Tuck shared tentative glances with each other.

"These-" Danny started, since he for one didn't want to have to turn back when they had come so far, "are Time Medallions. They keep us from being tossed back into our time line. The guy who controls the flow of time gave them to us so that we can help save the world."

Samantha and Tuck looked skeptical, but Danny continued.

"When the time lines shifted it, it spit us out here. This world, your world, is the outcome of Vlad changing his past, at least that's what I'm pretty sure happened. I don't really know for sure. Clockwork has a tendency to be cryptic, but I'm pretty sure he's flustered right now."

Samantha nodded her head and shrugged, but inside her head was reeling. Tuck, who was just as confused and excited was talking a mile a minute, questioning Danny, Sam and Tucker. Even the three older Fentons were subjected to his questions. Samantha just sat beside Sam with a scowl on her face. She was trying to piece together everything that could or would happened.

"Do you really think this...Clockwork, could keep our world here despite you undoing the meddling from your world?"

Danny smiled and nodded.

"I think he can manage."

Samantha seemed reassured, a little more than the previous night, so she hopped up from where she sat and decided get out what they had in the fridge for breakfast.

Sam's eyes lit up while the Tuckers and Danny groaned.

"Who eats salad for breakfast?" the Tuckers whined simultaneously.

"I do, that's who," stated the Sam's striking identical poses.

"Oh god," stated Danny unaware of how loud he was. "I think I actually need to **thank** Vlad."

His Sam shot him her deadliest glare while Samantha gave him a disapproving look. Tucker looked at his best friend, silently praying that his death be swift while Tuck refused to let the other topic drop.

"Seriously, where are the eggs, and I don't mean that tofu vegan junk!"

"It's not junk, Tucker," stated Samantha with her arms folded.

"It's a healthy utra-cyclo vegetarian diet and it doesn't come with the guilt of knowing that you're eating slaughtered animals," chimed in Sam.

Danny found himself sitting down while the Tuckers and Sams once again went through their argument of meat vs veggies. Any other time he would have been annoyed, but right now he had to admit that he was amused.

...He had been amused, but it was eight fifteen and they were still arguing. Breakfast had been salvaged thanks to Jazz who decided to take a look at what was in the fridge. The Sams had their salads, the Tuckers had their meats and everyone else had a little of both. Even so, the argument had continued.

"I was tired of hearing this argument years ago, and now I have to listen to it in stereo," muttered Danny to Danielle who giggled in amusement.

The two elder Fentons couldn't believe how the children kept going, but Jazz immediately pointed out that's how they were during the Christmas holidays with their belief or lack there of, in Santa Claus. Eventually Danielle had pulled both Sams to one side of the plane while Danny pulled the Tuckers to the other.

"That has got to be a record," stated Danny as he looked disapprovingly at his Tucker.

"Dude, she went too far. SALAD FOR BREAKFAST!"

"Breakfast has been over for almost over an hour now Tucker, GET OVER IT," shouted Danny.

Tuck just folded his arms and watched the two friends while he glanced back at Samantha. He wondered why their world's Danny didn't reside in Amity Park. They would have been better off if he had. Tuck sighed and slouched in the chair causing Danny and Tucker to look at him.

"Something wrong, dude?" Tucker asked as he watched himself close his eyes.

"I've only seen our world's Danny a few times, and that's when Vlad brings him to some of Sam's parents' parties."

"Why would Vlad bring me again?" Danny asked curiously with a distasteful frown on his face.

"Because you're his God Son or something. You, well the you from here, call him your uncle."

Danny shuddered as did Tucker while Samantha, Sam and Danielle walked back over to the group. They sat down with a huff, the fire still alight in each of their eyes but they weren't going to pick it back up, not unless the Tuckers said something. Danny gave the Tuckers one look and they seemed to understand.

"I've been wondering something, Danny," started Samantha. Sam glowered but Sam continued. "Where's your brother?"

"Brother," questioned the trio plus Danielle. Samantha looked confused, as did Tuck, but she answered them anyway. "Yeah, I remember there being three Fenton kids. Your sister Jazmine, you and there was one more person. Uh, gah Tucker what was his name?"

"Davy, I think," Tuck answered with a slight roll of his eyes.

"YEAH! David Fenton. Vlad introduced them to me, but I ended up staying with Dash most of the night so I didn't get the chance to get to know any of them."

Sam opened her mouth to retort but Danielle gladly positioned her hand over the opening leaving the other girl fuming.

"I don't have a brother. It's just me, my mom, my dad, and my sisters."

Tuck and Samantha shared confused looks before they figured that things changed along with the times. Danny didn't have a brother, but two sisters instead.

"It's funny though. In a different time line, my dad said if he had a son, he wouldn't name him Danny. He even called me Davy once."

Sam and Tucker looked at Danny. They didn't recall him telling them that story. Samantha and Tuck, on the other hand, seemed really interested in his tales of time travel.

"So how come you've been able to meddle with time without causing catastrophes that need changing?" Samantha asked raising a brow.

"Are you kidding?" Danny laughed. "The first time the _Time Master _summoned me was so that I could help him clean up the future. The next time I came to him for help, and he had to clean up the mess I made. I totally learned my lesson that day."

Danny continued to laugh while Samantha felt an uneasy lurch in her stomach.

"What happened to those other time lines? Do you know for sure that they're still there?"

"I don't see why they wouldn't be there. Like Tuck said, parallel dimension, right?" Danny smiled before he noticed that his mother was listening to their conversation. She didn't seem to share their enthusiasm. Samantha was still smiling at Danny. She hadn't noticed the darkening of his eyes as he looked to his mother. It was clear that she trusted him.

Danny and Samantha talked with Sam occasionally butting in just to make sure that Danny remembered which Sam was his Sam. It annoyed him a bit, but he figured he wouldn't want her leaning up against another guy, even if that guy was himself.

"Are we there yet," the Tuckers whined in unison, only instead of the ten times prior, Danielle decided to help them out.

"No," stated Jazz and the Sams, each one sporting different looks of annoyance. Jazz had been reading a magazine while Samantha had taken to getting the pink fingernail polish off her nails. Sam had been delighted until Sam had started painting them yellow.

"What?" she had asked when Sam gawked at her in disgust. "It's the same as what you do except it's not all black."

Sam had growled and kicked her feet up. She had been silent up until the Tuckers incessant whining.

"I gotta agree with Tucker, this flight is taking forever. We got there faster when dad drove."

Jazz looked up from her magazine and raised a brow at Danny.

"Dearest brother, do you not remember how **exactly** it was that we GOT THERE?!"

Danny winced as his sister raised her voice. Of course he remembered. That was the point of him bringing it up. They had got there _fast_. Then again...

"Point taken," he said as her heated glare seemed to pierce his skin.

Jack didn't say it, but he was also in agreement. Maybe if he could just fly the plane. Nah, his wife wouldn't let him. Jack let out an annoyed sigh to which Maddie just smiled sweetly. She was about to make her way over to him when a portal opened up between them and Clockwork plus one came hurtling out of it. They landed in a heap of blue, green and purple, and there was an annoyed grunt as the green specter got up.

Danny and Danielle were both up and over in a flash.

Samantha and Tuck both remained where they were while Sam and Tucker got into a battle stance as did Maddie and Jack.

It took a moment for Danny to come to his senses. He lowered his hands somewhat and looked down at the 'All Knowing Clockwork' who had yet to get up. He couldn't even attempt to hide the mischievous glint that twinkled brightly in his eyes.

"Uh Clockwork? I thought you were _healing_."

"I'd traverse any hospital if I could _heal_ with her," stated Tuck as he attempted to move close.

Tucker, placed his hand on Tuck's shoulder and shook his head while saying, "No you wouldn't."

Clockwork rose to his full height and Danny took a step back. Clockwork looked like he was at full power, so how could he have been tackled, from the looks of it, by Desiree?

Clockwork and Desiree didn't really seem to notice their new surroundings as their argument persisted.

"Are. You. **MAD**?" Clockwork said angrily which seemed to cause the jet to shake. Danny honestly hoped that it was just turbulence but he knew better. It seemed that they all knew better.

Desiree shrank back. She knew she was pushing too hard, but the thought of not being able to see him again, the thought of him leaving, it left her feeling cold.

"No. I. **LIVID**! I already told you of my motives, Time Master. I did not lie to you. I will not let you handle this fight alone, but I know you wish nothing to do with me. It is fine."

Clockwork gawked at Desiree before he did something completely uncharacteristic. He slid the palm of his hand down his face.

"I do not understand," stated Clockwork.

"That much is clear," snapped Desiree. "How can you, the Master of Time, be so blind as to what's in front of you?"

"I am not blind," he argued, reminding Danny of some arguments he got into with Sam. "I can see perfectly well what is in front of me. It is you who is blind."

"I am not blind. I can clearly see that you do not wish to be in my company, and why should you? You know what I am inside and out, perhaps even better than I do. Why would you sully yourself with the likes of me?"

Desiree seemed dejected as she spoke, and Clockwork just seemed much more frustrated.

"Uh," Danny started only to have his mouth covered by nearly every female in the cabin of the plane.

"I cannot return your feelings, because I am incapable of the emotion you wish me to portray."

Desiree turned to Clockwork skeptically, not understanding.

"How can you be incapable of-"

"Because I am the Master of Time. Any emotion I feel is liable to taint my better judgment. It would cause me to tamper and meddle until I've destroyed what it is that I am destined to protect. That is how it is, and that is how it shall be. Now you've wasted enough of my time."

Clockwork turned his back to Desiree and opened a portal. Desiree closed her eyes as a pained expression crossed her face.

"So you have wished it-" Desiree started, but Jazz seemed to have had other plans.

"I wish you would stay with us on the plane, Desiree."

Every eye turned to Jazz, but she just glared at Desiree. Desiree blinked at Jazz, then found herself powerless to her curse once more.

"-so shall it be."

Clockwork closed his eyes while Danny turned intangible to escape the hold of the females. He walked over to the portal and peered through it. He could see the different ghosts, and the blue sky. It looked like some sort of Ghost Rally if Danny were to be honest. Clockwork waved his hand and closed the portal, knowing that Desiree would not be leaving. Danny hopped away, while Clockwork finally decided to acknowledge them. Everyone was staring, unsure of what to make of the ghostly soap opera, but before any one could ask, another portal appeared.

"Out," Clockwork muttered and motioned for everyone to enter. Danny and Danielle went ghost and flew through the portal first, just to make sure there wasn't some steep drop. With Clockwork's earlier display they would not have been surprised if he wanted to get back at Jazz. Instead, they were outside of a modest house with a modest looking mailbox which read 'Masters' on the side.

Danielle reported the all clear while Danny flew up the walkway. He immediately regretted it when from out of the bushes came something that looked suspiciously like a Fenton Bazooka. Danny gave a slight yelp which caused the neighbors to turn in his direction. A few people scratched their heads, obviously unable to see him, but they did see Vlad's security measures. They fled from their yards, fearing some sort of ghost attack, and they made their way inside. They closed their curtains and most likely barricaded themselves inside. The Bazooka, however, fired near Danny's location but he dodged and immediately flew back towards the portal.

When the Bazooka decided that it had either got rid of its target or its target was out of range, it repositioned itself back in its hiding spot. Danny peered back inside the portal just as Samantha was about to step out. His head collided with her breasts and he immediately flew backwards. Samantha seemed pretty embarrassed before she got pretty ticked. She kicked Danny with her boot while exiting the plane. Danny was just happy that his Sam hadn't seen what happened. Of course, Tucker somehow managed to catch the display and gave him a thumbs up. Danny frowned before he turned to Clockwork and Desiree.

"There's some pretty ritzy ghost hunting equipment out here."

Clockwork said nothing more as he made his way out of the portal, and when he did the bazooka made another appearance and it invited friends. Apparently Danny, for some inane reason, hadn't alerted the other weapons, but Clockwork's presence certainly had. The Bazooka had morphed into something along the lines of an arm cannon, and the sprinklers began to spray something that was obviously not water.

"Wow, Vlad's perfected the Spectral Sprinklers. It's not even killing the plants!" stated Jack to Maddie as he spotted the sprinkles from the portal.

Maddie, who had been behind him asked, "Spectral Sprinklers?"

"It was an uh, invention that I had told Vlad about during college. I never could figure the bugs out of it. It was to get rid of little ghost bugs in the garden was well as the bigger bugs."

Jack grinned while Clockwork froze the weapons in time to allow Danny and Danielle passage. Once the two made it to the door, they tried and failed to get in.

"Ghost shield," stated Danny as he looked at his parents, his friends, and his friends doppelgangers.

"I don't think he's home anyway," stated Tuck while he looked into the window.

"Tucker, someone will see you," Samantha hissed.

"I don't think so," Tucker said to Samantha while Tuck returned from peeping through the window. "I think we're invisible."

"So cool," Tuck shouted while Sam shushed him.

"Invisible not muted."

"Right, sorry, but this is just so cool!" Tuck exclaimed which elicited a '_shush_' from Samantha.

"Don't feel too bad dude, Sam was the same way when we first got to help Danny with his powers."

Tuck grinned at Tucker before wondering just what was making them invisible. The answer seemed obvious when they looked towards Clockwork.

"I think Tucker's right," Danny said as he came from around the back. Apparently he and Mr. Fenton took it upon themselves to look. "No-one's home."

"Then he must be at our house...the us from this time," Jack said as he scratched his head.

Clockwork frowned as he made another portal, only this one led to the Fenton house.

"Clockwork you have to teach me that," said Danny with a huge grin on his face.

"No," Clockwork said almost harshly which caused Danny to frown. His mother took a step forward to protect Danny, but Danny really didn't need her protection or Clockwork's attitude.

"Clockwork, you're my friend, but you have GOT to calm down."

"I am calm," he stated and Danny had to give him credit because he did sound calm, but the look in his eyes were easier to read than a picture book. Danny was about to retaliate when he heard yelling from the other side of the portal.

"Clockwork just opened up a portal in front of the Fenton house, didn't he?" Sam asked as she looked towards Tucker.

"Yep," Tucker responded.

"Crap...again," muttered Danny as the doors to the Fenton house on the other side of the portal sprang open to reveal his mother, father and...Vlad exit the house.

"That's my house!" Vlad shouted, but his voice seemed to be filled with awe.

Danny, unable to help himself, reached into the portal invisibly and grabbed Vlad by the collar of his shirt.

"Oh is it, _Cheese Head_?" he asked as he pulled him through the portal.

"Vlad!" came the concerned shouts of his two college chums and even his God Son, Daniel, along with two more voices.

Everyone looked up just in time to see not only Daniel, decked out in a red shirt with a white oval it the center of his chest, baggy blue jeans, and white and red converses, run head first into the portal despite his parents protest. Behind came Jasmine's double. Her hair was pulled back in a braided up ponytail with her class ring dangling from the end. She still had on the shorts from the previous night, but the big shirt she wore was nowhere in sight. Instead she wore a lavender sports bra. She looked as though she had been working out. The last to emerge was Davy. He was wearing a black short sleeved shirt over a dark and light blue striped long sleeved shirt, blue khaki pants were torn at the knees, and black boots with green shoelaces. His hair was reminiscent to that of Jack's during his college days.

Each child looked like they had dressed hastily, and had grabbed something that had been lying around the house to use as weapons while their parents had nothing.

"Why'd you let them through, Clockwork," came Danny's voice as he turned to look at the Master of Time only to see that Clockwork had his back to them and was watching a portal form before them.

Clockwork said nothing as he lunged for the portal without a second thought. Before whoever was on the other side could make their way through, Clockwork had collided with them and entered the portal, causing it to disappear. That wasn't all it did either. With Clockwork's disappearance came the reappearance of Danny and his group, much to the surprise of the three Fenton children who were only able to hear what was going.

"Thanks a lot, Clockwork," muttered Danny before he found himself dodging a ray from the Fenton Laser Lipstick.

_**TBC**_

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**Authors Ending Notes: **My first time ending a chapter on an Author's note. Huh, you get one at the beginning and the end this time. I just wanted to point out somethings about this chapter. There is a Star Trek reference in here, though it's worded differently. I'm sure some of you noticed and are now like, I KNEW IT. Some of you probably weren't sure and some of you are just not sure. xD Here's a hint, Vulcan.

Desiree's spell sort of just came to me. I think it has something to do with the fact that I've always loved poems that rhyme which is really funny because I loathe poetry. Yeah, I know, it's totally contradictory and I don't quite understand it myself.

Desiree's uncharacteristic outburst was actually not going to be written in. Desiree seems strong in the show, but if you remember her first appearance during when the Gypsies told Danny of Desiree's past, she had been devastated due to the Sultan's jealous wife. It was also why I decided that it was the jealous wife who put the curse on her. I mean, how else do you explain dying of a broken heart **and** old age?

I couldn't help Tuck's quips with the healing thing. It's Tucker, but AU style.

Meats vs Veggies. Oh you have no idea who much I wanted to not do this, but in the end I had to. "Why," you ask? Simple. I wanted to. Yes, another contradictory statement, but I'm sure you've had those thoughts. I just have them frequently. :(

The next chapter will be a cliff hanger as well, FYI. :D Yes, I am a dastardly little thing. *maniacal laugh*

thanks for reading. 'Til next time, true believers!


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note:** Greetings and salutations all! Whoo, another update so soon? Yeah, that's right. I mean, we're on the home stretch now, baby. O: So without further...no wait, I need to review my reviews. :P

**Deviant Art Review (I'll keep you anonymous. :D):**

**"Sorry about this I would love to send another review on time and space but because I don't have an account on I don't want to make any confusion since now we both know who we are (sort of anyways) ^^;**

**I love the pairing you chose~! Clockwork and Desiree is really cute~ and it's unique! The other pairing I liked was Dani and Clockwork but this one makes way more sense :D man Clockwork sounds like he could throw a temper tantrum with the behavior he's showing now XD**

Don't apologize, and hey, you can continue to send the review on dA. I don't mind. :D I'll still reply to you here though, hope you don't mind.

I've never heard of Clockwork and Danni as a pairing before, but they do have a special bond in my story. If you recall the earlier chapters where Maddie explains spirits and ghosts...:D

Clockwork has so many emotions bottled up inside (like a carbonated drink) over the years that I believe he hides behind his stoic facade and sarcasm. He's shaken up right now, and you know what happens if you shake up a bottle full of carbonated liquid. *explosion*. So...yeah...maybe. ;)

**KingPariah: desiree's curse seems to be breaking. good. i like her character**

**Clockwork is developing a hero complex XD he should accept that he needs help (with the villains and desiree)**

**The end was confusing at first, but a second reading made it clearer...mostly XD**

**four chapters left? if that's true, then at the very least the heroes will be able to do is simply fix and separate the timelines...cause i don't see how its possible to fix the timelines AND stop dan and quasar.**

**guess i have to wait to find out.**

Yeah. I don't like Desiree having to grant every wish she ears. It makes me feel really really bad.

xD I think that deep down inside, Clockwork's always had a hero complex. I mean, he was tasked with killing Danny, but spared him instead and taught him a valuable lesson. Then again...well...there is a theory that if Clockwork didn't send Box Lunch to confront Danny that Danny wouldn't have gotten the answers to the C.A.T.s and wouldn't have been able to cheat anyway. Personally, we all know that Danny is more than capable of getting them without aid (he's fourteen with ghost powers. If he can go into the girls locker room, he could swipe the answers to the test.) Er...anyway...ignore that, lol.

Clockwork seems very independent to me, so I think he'd have trouble asking for help. He's most likely been without it for a long time (not counting the Observants because I don't think they could help Box Ghost out of a cardboard box. :/)

Uh oh, what part at the end was confusing? O_O I WISH TO EXPLAIN IT TO YOU BETTER! :( Maybe then you'll understand how my mind works.

*Maniacal Laugh* That is the part of the story that I am self-conscious about. :( Matter of fact...meh, you'll see what I mean next chapter. **HA!** I'm so wicked.

**Thanks for the reviews, and I hope that everyone keeps reading while simultaneously inflating my ego. **

**BAZINGA! d-(^_^)z**

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Chapter Eleven: Fun Facts

To say that Danny was not happy with what was going on was a huge understatement that deserved to be destroyed. At the moment, he was dodging laser fire from this time line's version of his sister, who was almost on par with his mother, while at the same time dodging blasts from Vlad's stupid security system. He wasn't the only one though. Danielle was having the same problems.

Maddie and Jack had put the hoods of their jumpsuits over their heads and the goggles that came with them over their eyes so the other children wouldn't recognize them, and they stood off to the side, not knowing if they should join the fray or not. Jazz was hiding behind her parents while watching this world's version of herself. She was trying to analyze her, but she just couldn't. It was...strange. Tuck and Samantha were beside Jazz while Vlad was crawling towards his door. Sam was prompting Tucker to _'hurry up'_ for he was trying to hack into Vlad's security to shut it down.

"Stand still, ghost!" shouted Davy who had two Jack-o-Nine-Tails, one in each hand.

Danny, the ghost Davy was referring to, tried to fly under the ground only to smash his face into the asphalt. He didn't have too much time to rub his nose because Davy had lunged. Luckily Danny was able to dodge and fly up higher though he couldn't get to far. He was trapped within a ghost shield that was obviously only around Vlad's house, most likely to keep the specters and the blasts from Vlad's weapons inside. It seemed to only activate when an extremely strong entity was present, and didn't go away until all threats were eliminated. Swell.

Daniel had been off to the side, watching the two ghosts that were flying around. Honestly, he figured, the ghosts could have hurt them by now if they wanted, and they looked really familiar. He figured they were ghostly twins by how closely they resembled each other, but that wasn't the only thing that gave him that sense of familiarity and he wanted to know what it was. This prompted Daniel, against his better judgment, to run forward, dodging blasts from the security system, in order to break up the fight.

"Bad idea, bad idea, bad idea," he chanted repeatedly. He was not as agile as his siblings, and he was extremely clumsy, but he refused to let that stop him.

"DAVY, JAZ, WAIT A MINUTE!" Daniel shouted, but his siblings paid him no mind. Luckily for him, however, that Samantha was watching him.

"DANNY! DODGE!" she shouted which prompted both Daniels to move out of the way. Samantha cringed when she realized this because ghost Danny flew into Danielle causing them both to hit the ground though Daniel had moved out of the way in time. That was good.

Daniel looked at where he had been standing moments ago and saw that the beams from the laser had been hairs away from hitting him. Of course the weapons weren't supposed to hurt humans, just ghosts. Either way, he really didn't want to take that chance.

Danny and Danielle groaned and tried to separate from each other, but Jazmine had other plans. She took one of the weapons from Davy and attempted to use it on the other two ghosts, but Sam and Tucker both got it her way.

"Stand aside! These ghosts are dangerous."

"Um no, they're not," stated Sam with a frown.

"Are you crazy! They just kidnapped our uncle," stated Davy as he eyed the goth.

"Technically...we all sorta kidnapped your uncle," responded Tucker as he looked towards Sam who had her arms crossed.

This sort of caught the siblings off guard, but they refused to lower their weapons.

"Guys, let's try talking about this," stated Daniel who was walking between Samantha and Tuck, each of which hadn't really said a word.

"Oh come on Danny, talk with ghosts? You're still on about that? Remember what happened the last time you tried to talk to a ghost? You nearly got shipped to Jersey."

Daniel frowned at his brother while everyone else looked at him curiously. Davy turned around to face the two ghosts who looked up at him with bright green eyes and huge grins on their faces. He wasn't exactly sure if he liked their grinning, but they didn't seem like they were going to make a move against him.

"We promise we'll be good," they said simultaneously before they both vanished from sight.

Davy and Jazmine gasped and frowned as they looked around. Danny and Danielle appeared behind them, but didn't say anything.

"I'm glad uncle Vlad turned the security off," stated Daniel as he looked towards the house.

Vlad had come back running towards the three Fenton children and tried to embrace them, but was avoided.

"Are the three of you out of your mind!" he asked them to which all three of them frowned.

"We just saved you!" shouted Davy with his arms folded.

"We weren't going to hurt him," stated Danny with a frown though he honestly wasn't sure.

"Yeah right! We know better than to trust the words of a ghost...well, almost all of us," Davy said as he shot a look back towards Daniel.

"Not all ghosts are evil," stated the Daniels at the same time, and for the first time, the three Fenton children seemed to actually _hear_ the Ghost Teen's voice. Their attention then turned to the rest of the group.

"You're that Manson girl," stated Davy as he looked towards Samantha. Samantha shot him a frown while his brother nudged him in the ribs.

"Her name's...Sam, right?" he asked her. She seemed surprised that he remembered her, and she found that her face had lit up. She nodded and Daniel grinned. Score.

"We're attracting attention, Vlad muttered taking note of the onlookers. He wanted more than anything to just disappear, but he knew he could not. Instead he tried his best to ignore the stares despite most of them being on the bright blue and orange jumpsuited...wait, orange jumpsuit?

"What in blazes," he asked as he looked towards the individual in the orange jumpsuit. Jack immediately knew he was recognized and tried to hide behind Maddie which exposed Jasmine to everyone's view.

"Whoa," stated Daniel and Davy as they looked to Jazz, then to their sister.

Jazz giggled and waved nervously while Jazmine readied her laser lipstick.

"I don't know what's going on, so someone better start talking, and I mean now."

"Yes because no doubt your parents will be on their way," stated Vlad apprehensively.

The color drained from the three Fenton children, Davy and Jazmine especially since they knew their current punishment would only get worse. That and their parents had a tendency to cause a lot of property damage, though they were good for it.

"Maybe we can go inside and talk," stated Jazz while looking at Vlad pleadingly. He had never seen that look on Jazmine's face, but he felt himself slowly starting to concede to it.

"And don't try anything, Vlad," spat Danny as he glared at the billionaire, to which Vlad seemed to take a hesitant step back. Maddie placed her hand on Danny's shoulder, and said nothing while Jack remained silent.

Danny folded his arms, looking less than impressed, while Davy watched him and his _'twin'_ suspiciously. He did not trusts ghosts and he most certainly did not like the fact that two of them kidnapped his uncle.

"This way," stated Vlad as he made his way towards the threshold to his home. When he opened the door he took in a sight which he happened noticed until now.

"Wow, look at all this cheese," Samantha stated as she looked around.

"Yes, it would seem that my...caterer has been here," stated Vlad while the image of him strangling the Dairy King played in his mind.

When the last of his strange guests entered his home, he pointed towards the couches and offered them cheese.

"Miss Manson, what, pray tell, are you doing in Wisconsin?"

"Nope, sorry V-Man, I'm asking the questions here," stated Danny with a dangerous edge to his tone. Jazmine had her lipstick at the ready while Davy had both his Jack-O-Nine-Tails.

Vlad had to admit he was nervous. The power the boy was emitting, plus his obvious dislike for him, made Vlad's skin crawl. The female, who looked identical to him, seemed to be more nervous than he was. Had he done something to these two ghosts? Honestly he had no idea. Then there was the people in the jumpsuits. Obviously one of them was Jack Fenton. How could he NOT recognize that form, but that was completely impossible. There was no way that was Jack! Then again, it was clear to Vlad that the girl identical to his _niece_ was indeed Jazmine. She was different, however, more calculating than her counterpart. Counterpart?

"It can't be..." mumbled Vlad who turned his gaze to Sam and Tucker then Samantha and Tuck.

"Come on, let's hear it. What can't it be," stated Danny as he narrowed his eyes. Vlad realized the boy was accusing him of something, but of what he had no clue.

"You're not...from here? An alternate dimension perhaps?"

"Time line, dimension. Sure, but it's not like you didn't know that, so I'm not impressed."

"Danny, I think he honestly didn't know," stated Jazz as she looked at her brother.

Vlad's eyes seemed to go wide as did the other three Fenton's. Vlad was immediately up close and personal with Danny which, in turned, caused his reflexes to kick in, and he blasted the man back. Davy and Jazmine were ready to lunge, but Jack's huge frame blocked them.

"Sorry," muttered Danny, though it was hard to tell if he was sincere in his apology or not. "Reflex."

Vlad hissed as he got up from his spot on the floor, but he didn't try to move closer. Daniel had made his way to his uncle's side as did Davy, but Jazmine remained in front of Jack.

"Why are you protecting him?! He's a ghost and he just hurt a human. Are you like, some sort of cult member that believes in ghostly carnage, cause if so I'll have to take you down."

Jack looked looked down at his alternate daughter, and couldn't exactly find the right words.

"You don't understand," stated Jazz to her counterpart.

"You're supposed to be me, right," stated Jazmine who didn't give her time to finish. "So why can't you agree with me that these ghosts are evil."

"Because those ghosts are my siblings," stated Jazz as she stood face to face with her alternate self, a sour look presented on her face.

Jazmine narrowed her eyes and didn't back down.

"Easy ladies," stated Vlad. "Let's all just sit down and speak about this like cilvilized people.

Jazz glared at Jazmine, but the two sat back down as did Jack. Daniel and Davy helped Vlad sit up across the room from the two ghosts twins on the other side of the room. Danny just watched with a frown on his face. He couldn't honestly believe what he was seeing. It seemed like this Vlad was definitely happy with his current life, and he seemed oblivious to what had been done.

Danny took a deep breath, but before he could question Vlad, his dad took over.

"Vladdie...tell me the truth, please. Do you know what's going on?"

Vlad looked at Jack as he pulled away his hood eliciting startled gasps from the three other Fenton children. Maddie hesitated before she did the same. Vlad wasn't exactly sure what he wanted to say, but he knew there was one thing that needed to be said.

"Jazmine, David, Daniel, this is not allowed to leave this house."

The three nodded before they looked towards their alternative parents. Vlad was practically dripping with sweat at how nervous he was. He didn't understand what was happening. He was sitting across from the alternatives of his friends. Jack had been an obvious giveaway, but he still hadn't been completely certain. The fact that Maddie was wearing a matching suit made him want to groan at the thought, but he just settled for a simple eye roll. The Ghost Teen, who was glaring at him was obvious an inverted form of Daniel, but the girl...the girl who looked like Daniel, he wasn't entirely sure about her. Then there were the other children.

"I have a theory, but nothing adamant," stated Vlad apologetically.

Jack sighed sadly while Danny's eyes glazed over Vlad. He was wearing a lab coat and a pair of overalls with a red and white plaid shirt on underneath it. He had some sort of green stains on the coat, but they seemed really old. His eyes, however, locked on to Vlad's wrist. The familiar purple and blue colors reminded him of Clockwork's Time Medallions.

"What's that on your wrist?" Danny asked as he pointed.

Vlad looked at the little bracelet, but before he could respond, Jazmine snapped at him.

"I gave that to him," she said despite her brothers looking at him. "Back when mom forced me into jewelry making."

"Why would she force you into jewelry making," Jazz asked with a frown.

"She said I needed to be more lady like, if you must know."

Jazz frowned, her calculated gaze and analytical mind going into overdrive.

"Well," Danny said as he showed Vlad his Time Medallion. "It looks just like this, wouldn't you say?"

Vlad looked at the item, and his eyes twinkled. His wrist, however, began to tingle. He looked at the item and then hissed as it burned him.

"Alright, I'm done," said Davy as he used the Jack-o-Nine-Tails on Danny.

"HEY!" Danny shouted while Danielle tried to free Danny only to be shocked in the process.

Maddie managed to wrangle the item from Davy while Jack kept Jazmine at bay. Samantha and Tuck moved towards Vlad to make sure that he was alright, but he shooed them away.

"I'm really sorry, Mr. Masters," stated Samantha as she looked at his wrist. Vlad seemed irked, but was more concerned about his niece and nephew.

"Guys, stop it!" Daniel snapped as he freed Danny then disarmed his brother who had tried to use the other Jack-O-Nine-Tails. Davy seemed surprised, but then it melded into anger. He pushed his younger brother away who stumbled into his ghostly counterpart.

"Danny, you're on the ghost's side! After he kidnapped uncle Vlad, blasted him, and burned him?"

Daniel cringed. His older brother had a point. Danny cringed as well, also realizing that he wasn't making it easy on them.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "Our world's Vlad hasn't exactly given me much of a reason to trust anyone with the monicker of Vlad Masters."

Danny put the medallion back down his jumpsuit before walking over to Vlad and holding out his hand. Vlad hesitated before he took it and and rose to his feet. Vlad was obviously still skeptical of the boy and his family, but he knew that their time was up. He could hear the Fenton Spirit Upending Vehicle or, for short, the Fenton SUV.

"You all need to hide," Vlad said as he looked towards the dimension hopping family and friends, plus Samantha and Tuck.

Before anyone could ask, the voices of Daniel's mother and father were heard outside.

"That's enough for me," stated Danny as everyone huddled in close so Danny could enact his invisibility.

Vlad, who could only stand their in awe, was snapped out of it when his front door came smashing down. Jack, much to Vlad's horror, was wearing his old jumpsuit. It looked at tad to big on the man, and was torn in different places. Maddie, on the other hand, was in what she had been wearing earlier which was a lab coat over a purple shirt and black workout pants accompanied in boots.

The two ghost hunters looked around, but found that they could detect nothing. Maddie was relieved as she spotted her children. She ran to them, and gripped them tightly while Jack smacked Vlad on his back, nearly causing the man to fall forward.

"V-MAN! You're alright!" he said happily while he turned to face his wife and kids. "And you managed to kick ghost butt!"

"Actually Jack-" started Vlad before he was cut off by Jaz.

"Davy and I did the butt kicking, dad," stated Jazmine with a slight frown on her delicate features.

Vlad nodded to Jack who instantly lit up.

"My own kids," he sniffed, "Going into the family business. I'm so proud."

Daniel gave an annoyed roll of his eyes before he looked at the spot where the other inhabitants of the room had disappeared to. He wasn't sure if they were still there, but he motioned for them to follow anyway.

"Uncle Vlad, I'm gonna go downstairs where it's safe," he said hoping that his uncle caught on.

"You'll do no such thing young man," stated his mother firmly, but Vlad just smiled nervously at her.

"He's just a bit antsy, m'dear. Daniel, why don't you take some cheese with you, hm? I'm sure you'll need a snack after what you've been through."

"Yeah, which was what, again?" Davy asked, teasing his brother.

Daniel glared at his brother, while his mother gave him an understanding smile. She thought that her son was afraid of ghosts, but he really wasn't. There was something more about them, and he had been curious. Ghosts had, at one time, been alive, right? There had to have been a much more complex reason as to why they stuck around. He figured that, at the moment, the only ghost he could ask was himself. He cringed and shook his head.

"Whatever," he stated towards his brother while his mother gave him a kiss to the forehead. She then shuddered a bit as she looked at Vlad.

"Why is it so cold in here?" she asked.

Vlad cringed before an idea struck him.

"The cheese," he said as he extended his hand out. "The caterer seemed to have stopped by while I was away."

Maddie seemed to buy into it while Jack took a few pieces of cheese for himself and sat on the couch.

"You plan to do a full sweep of the house, don't you?" Vlad questioned with a knowing smile.

Jack and Maddie cringed while looking guiltily at their best friend. Jazmine and Davy looked at each other and tried to sneak away, but Vlad was not going to give them the satisfaction.

"Then Jazmine and David can help, after all, they did such a good job today. I'm sure they would love to help you figure out what sort of phenomenon caused a natural portal to appear in front of your house and link it to mine."

Maddie's eyes lit up as did Jack's. Vlad grinned mischievously at the children who just glared at their uncle.

"I'll go and check on Daniel. Try not to destroy anything, Jack."

Jack feigned hurt while Maddie chuckled and tugged her children away. Vlad looked relieved before he remembered his guests.

* * *

Daniel led, or at least he hoped, the group of ghosts and humans alike, into the basement. He turned on the light, then closed the door before turning around and almost having a mini heart attack. He held his hand to his chest while he caught his breath.

"You okay?" Sam asked, much to Danny's annoyance.

"Y-yeah, just..."

Daniel looked from Sam to Samantha, then from Tucker to Tuck. He nodded once in understanding before looking confused again.

"Okay so, forgive me for probably sounding a little slow, but you," he pointed to Sam, "and you" he pointed to Samantha, "are the same person, right?"

"Sadly," stated Sam which earned her a glare from her counterpart.

"And we're each other if that saves you the trouble, dude," stated the Tuckers which caused Daniel to laugh a bit.

"Okay, and you're here because, I take it, my uncle from your dimension or whatever has done something awful? That's why you attacked Vlad?"

"You're not as clueless as you," stated Tucker which earned a few confused looks and a back hand from Danny.

Everyone looked upwards towards the ceiling as the ones who remained behind walked around.

"We don't have much time here. My parents are really trigger happy, and since you kidnapped Vlad, they won't listen. You saw how my sister and my brother acted. They're not all that friendly to ghosts."

"Believe me, I know how that is," stated Danny with a huge grin on his face while his own parents blushed.

"So maybe now we can talk normally. What's going on?" asked Daniel as he sat on the lowest step. "In depth, explanation please."

"Let's start with this," stated Danny as he reverted back to his human side. The bright light that triggered his transformation startled his alternate self, but he didn't run away. Instead he watched as his exact copy, give or take, appeared in front of him.

"How did you do that?" Daniel asked with awe in his eyes.

"Well, it all started with a ghost portal accident when I was fourteen."

"Lemme guess, you turned it on from the inside?"

Danny, Sam, and Tucker looked at Daniel with some surprise.

"You too?" asked Danny skeptically.

"Yeah, but luckily for me it hadn't been plugged in. Davy and I were lucky we walked out when we didn't see anything inside because that's when Jaz noticed it was unplugged and plugged it in. She hadn't seen us go inside it, but she was glad that we came out when we did. She then proceeded to reprimand us for being reckless dolts."

Daniel smiled then frowned a bit.

"Or maybe I wasn't that lucky. You're not...dead are you?"

"Half dead."

"Half dead?"

"I don't know how to explain it either, but where I come from I'm one of two Halfas. Halfa means half ghost and half human."

"And...uncle Vlad was the second halfa?"

"Man, Danny," started Tucker with a shake of his head. "How is it that you're the clueless one with powers and he's the one with all the answers?"

Danny folded his arms and looked at Tucker before turning back to Daniel.

"Yep, though if I were to be honest, he got his half ghost status twenty years before I got mine."

Danielle listened to the conversation before she silently switched modes. Daniel had noticed this and pointed at her.

"So then, what is she?" he asked, then cringed at how inconsiderately he phrased that. "I mean-"

"It's fine, I'm used to it," she stated with a small smile. "I'm his clone. My name's Danielle or Danny with an 'I'. I was cloned by Vlad."

There was silence before Samantha cleared her throat. She seemed ticked because she hadn't exactly been told that about Danielle. She had been told that she was their sister which was why he didn't have a brother. Danny cringed as he looked at her, then smiled apologetically.

"She is my sister though. She's been accepted into the family, and how can she not be. She looks like my twin, ghost or not. Besides, that's not important," stated Danny while he looked at his counterpart. "The Masters of Time and Space seem to be having the biggest sibling rivalry in the history of ever and we've been roped into it. Our Vlad was sent through time and changed the past which created this time line."

"Why would he do that?" Daniel asked as he looked towards Danny.

"Because he messed up," stated Jack with a sad frown on his face. Daniel had seen that frown many times, and it always made his stomach hurt a little bit.

"Oh," was all that Daniel could say to that. "Okay, so you somehow managed to follow him here or did the Time Master of whatever send you here."

"You're a lot less skeptical than we were," stated Samantha with a frown. Daniel just laughed.

"I've seen the Box Ghost and a ghost named Nikolai. I've seen Big Foot and I've even seen a werewolf who could cut open the fabric of space. I may not show it, but I hunt the supernatural, but not for experiments, but for understanding. I'm open to anything, but my dream is to become an astronaut. Luckily my grades are the highest in my class!"

Jack and Maddie seemed to have some pride showing in their eyes. Both Dannys were quite remarkable young man. Danny, however, was jealous, which his friends and sister seemed to take notice of, but it quickly subsided when he saw how Samantha was looking at Daniel.

"You know, uh, Danny, I think that's pretty cool. You don't want to hunt down creatures and use them for experiments."

"Oh no," stated Tuck, knowing where this topic was going. He slid down the step he had been on and moved away from the soap opera that was about to begin.

"Again?" stated Tucker exasperatedly.

"Uh yeah. I'm against any kind of cruelty towards living creatures, even if they are just living their lives after death."

The look in Samantha's eyes told Tuck that Dash had just been dumped. Then again...Daniel lived in Wisconsin. Would a long distance relationship work out between them?

"E-hem," stated Vlad from the top of the stairs which prompted Samantha and Daniel to move away. He stopped at the bottom and looked at his nephew then to Samantha who just smiled guiltily at him.

Vlad then noticed Danny and his family.

"What in the world-"

"I'm half ghost, it happened when I was fourteen in a ghost portal accident, she's my _sister_, we're here because you messed up the time lines for everyone because you messed up your own life and now we have to stop you to save our worlds before they cease to exist while the Master of Time fights the Master of Space in a sibling rivalry that beats all sibling rivalries.

Vlad looked at Danny, then to Daniel before he had to sit down. He took a seat on the bottom stair and placed his head in his hands.

"I don't remember such things," stated Vlad with a shake of his head.

"Yeah, I get that."

"Why didn't you go back to when he meddled?" asked Daniel as the weight of the situation was once again presented before everyone, instantly sobering the room.

"They couldn't risk it, my dear boy," stated Vlad as he looked towards his nephew. It seemed to be the most logical answer he could think of.

"He returned to his college days," stated Tucker as he pulled out his PDA, and held it up to Vlad, showing him a picture from the old school newspaper which was praising their success on the smaller ghost portal.

Vlad looked at the PDA and frowned before he looked at the time travelers.

"The experiment was meant to fail," stated Jack guiltily as he looked at his friend. "You were supposed to get hit with a beam of ectoplasm, but the you from our time line, the you who's like my son, prevented that from happening."

Vlad looked back towards the PDA, then thought back to that day. He tapped his chin before something came up and he began to laugh.

"Dalvin!" he said with a smile on his face.

"Dalvin," everyone repeated, unsure of what sort of crazy had come over Vlad.

"How strange that I never thought of that until now. There was a man, no, he was me. I mean, he looked like I do now, so it had to have been me, except he ha gray hair...there had been a shield protecting us, keeping us from being hit by a stray blast of ectoplasm, the ectoplasm that was most likely meant to hit me and make me, as you put it, a half ghost, correct?"

Danny nodded while Vlad continued.

"If that's true, then the shield which protected us was from myself. Extraordinary. So he lived his life until he messed up and decided to take a redo. He returned to the past to keep himself from getting ghost powers, and in doing so he rewrote time, and that time is this very moment. That time is our present which means that I am your Vlad as well as this world's Vlad, yet I have no recollection of the other time line. How EXCITING!"

Jack couldn't help but to laugh at Vlad's enthusiasm. He hadn't seen Vlad like that since college. Maddie, however, was sure that this is what Clockwork meant. If they were to remove their Vlad, which was also this world's Vlad, then the world wouldn't be able to exist because Vlad had effectively touched everything in that world just by being the one variable that had no copies. Maddie looked at the children and leaned against her husband's arm. She couldn't let them see her so upset, because they would begin to catch on, and that would crush them.

"Oh how interesting. Tell me Daniel, er...may I call you Phantom instead? You look like a Phantom."

"How does a person...never mind. It's right anyway. In my ghost form I go by Danny Phantom so..."

"Oh I wish I could take notes, but with Maddie and Jack upstairs..." Vlad almost paled.

"They wouldn't want to talk this out. They'd want to strap you down. Daniel, divert your parents attention. Tell them the ghosts are heading towards the university."

"Uh yeah, sure," said Daniel who had been talking to Samantha and Tuck. The three had really hit it off in the short minutes that they hadn't been taken aback by Vlad's outburst and sudden interest in everything.

"I'll come with you," said Samantha and Tuck together, which just caused Daniel to smile. He had friends now. Sweet.

The trio ran up the stairs and closed the door behind them, while Vlad turned to look at Danny who was wearing a scowl on his face.

"How can you be so excited? Don't you know that means you're the guy we're looking for; that you're the person who caused this entire mess?"

Vlad seemed to come down from his high, and there was a genuine look of sorrow on his face.

"You're quite right my dear boy. I do seem to be the cause of the problem, but I do not know how to help you."

"Yes you do," accused Danielle angrily, before she shied back.

"I honestly do not. I may have been the one to have done it, but I am a different being, designed specifically for this world. I've been...rewritten. I have no recollection of my past deeds except for that one instance where this, _Dalvin_ person, who I now realize was the me you're referring to, was changing his past to create a new future."

Everyone was quiet while Jack let out a sigh.

"The bracelet must have the same properties as our Time Medallions."

All eyes were on Jack. Maddie looked thoughtful while Vlad looked at the bracelet.

"I remember Jazmine giving me this for my birthday. She had been grounded for fighting again, and so Maddie had decided to get her into making jewelry. Eventually she got better and started making her own designs with some of the left over metal in the lab...she had been using their equipment and found that ectoplasm had a nice effect when she mixed dye into it. It made it glow, and it also worked as a warding for ghosts. I can't remember the last time I removed it."

Danny just shook his head at Vlad.

"It's a false memory Vlad, it's the only explanation. You haven't even had the urge to remove it, and that's because the spirit who gave it to you is using you to screw with another spirit. You've completely wrecked the time streams. The problem now is what we're going to do about it. We can't take off our medallions without becoming residents of this world, and you can't remove yours because you might disappear, uh, right?"

Danny looked towards his parents who nodded. Jack seemed proud while Maddie seemed very upset.

"Okay, so that just means, what, exactly? We came all this way just to hit a dead end?" snapped Sam as she folded her arms over her chest.

"No," stated Maddie as she walked over to Vlad. "We came here to find him, and we've accomplished that.

Daniel, Samantha and Tuck walked down the stairs with three identical smiles on their faces. Danny, Sam and Tucker couldn't help but grin. They knew those smiles too well.

"Dad yelled out something along the lines of _No spooks escapes Jack Fenton,_ right?" asked Danny with a shake of his head.

"Actually it he said _specters_."

"Despite their hunting of creatures that have yet to be proven guilty of any crime, or of being at the University in this case, they're actually pretty funny."

The kids laughed while Jack, Maddie and Vlad ignored them. Each one of them were thinking about what they needed to do. Maddie, however, was trying to find a way to help preserve this world. It wasn't fair that this world was to be destroyed while their world triumphed. She looked towards Danielle, then shook her head. _'No, cloning is immoral, and...and it's not like their world will actually be destroyed. It just...won't have existed.'_

Despite those words, she still felt in her heart that it was wrong. Vlad, on the other hand, was trying to figure out what he had to do. From the sounds of things, in the world he had been from originally, he was half dead. From how Danny reacted to him, it was clear to see that they did not share an uncle/nephew relationship, but a villain/hero relationship. He looked at Daniel who seemed to be enjoying the company of Miss Manson and the boy with dreads just as the other Daniel and his friends seemed to be. He couldn't help but shake his head. No, he couldn't let them change this time line. If he was happy here, then they could be as well. All he had to do was remove their medallions and then they would, most likely, return in the form their counterparts.

Danny and his group walked over to Daniel and his group. The six children began to converse about what they had come to discover, and no-one seemed to have an idea of what to do next. Danielle and Jazz had made their way over and gave their input, but everything just led back to Clockwork. That was when the sound of Goose Mother blared in the basement which caused Samantha to turn several shades of red. She pulled out her cell phone, much to Daniel's surprise, and walked away from the group.

"She's likes Goose Mother too?" Daniel proclaimed incredulously to which Tuck snorted.

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it either dude. Believe me, there is way more to her than that make up she wears."

"Ah-freakin'-men," stated Sam as she gave Tuck a pat on his shoulder. Daniel laughed while Danny rubbed the back of his neck nervously. Tucker nudged Dany in the ribs and told him something which made his eyes open wide.

"I totally forgot about that!" he said with an embarrassed look on his face. When Samantha got off the phone, she walked back over to the group.

"The uh...jet landed. They were sort of worried since we weren't exactly on it."

"You have a jet," Daniel asked.

"Didn't we leave Desiree on the jet?" Tucker asked, cutting off whoever was about to answer Daniel.

"Oops," said Jazz, realizing that she probably should have phrased her wish a little better.

"Wait, so like, that girl ghost is like a genie ghost?" Tuck asked, his eyes wide.

"Dude," Tucker deadpanned, "We talked about this. If she's not worth traversing hospitals for, then she's not worth the wishes she grants.

"Why not," Tuck asked with a pout. He would love an upgrade to his PDA and if all he had to do was wish for it, then he'd take any chance.

"You're daft," said Sam before she added with a smirk, "Just like our Tucker."

"Hey," the Tuckers whined earning chuckles from the others.

"She twists the wishes so that they aren't exactly how you'd expect, and not in a good way."

"Aw man," Tuck whined before he shook his head.

"Anyway," stated Sam before things started to get off track, "We need to get to the airport. Maybe Desiree can help us."

"Uh Sam, you don't exactly expect her to help us after we foiled all her schemes, right?" asked Danny as he folded his arms over his chest.

"No, not us," said Samantha this time.

Danny seemed a little concerned since, once again, the Sams were on the same side.

"She'll want to help Clockwork," they said together.

"Why would she want to do that," Danny asked, sounding very confused.

"What flight were **you** on," Samantha asked with a shake of her head.

"Don't mind him, he's just clueless," Tucker said after a moment of silence.

"Oh, and you know what they're talking about, huh Techno-Geek?"

Tucker placed his hand near his heart and feigned like he was wounded.

"How you hurt me so. Come on Danny, she cares for the guy."

"Say what," Danny deadpanned as he looked from the Sams to the Tuckers.

"Is she not allowed to like him or something," Tuck asked sounding genuinely confused by Danny's response.

"Whoa so like, everyone thinks that she likes Clockwork?"

"You poor thing," Samantha said to Sam with a shake of her head. "How'd you put up with that clueless-ness and for how long?"

"Misplaced Aggression," stated Sam as she looked towards the heavens. "Years of misplaced aggression."

Danny merely blinked in confusion before Tucker came up to him and wrapped his arm around his best bud's shoulder.

"Let the Love Guru explain."

Sam scoffed. "The Love Guru? Seriously?"

Tucker scowled before he continued.

"You know how Sam gets all totally overprotective of you when you're hurt and you're all like 'I'm fine Sam,' and you try to do your ghost thing only for Sam to chase you and then save your butt in the end, with my expertise of course."

Sam glowered while Danny folded his arms and muttered a simple _'yes, sometimes'._

"Didn't you notice how similar Desiree was acting? Didn't you see how worried she was. Put Sam in Desiree's place and put Clockwork in your place. Either he's really cold or he's even more clueless than you, and that's a record."

Danny shoved his best friend, before he put what Tucker said into perspective. Danny turned to Jazz immediately after the puzzle pieces locked into place.

"That's why you made that wish! So Desiree could keep close to Clockwork!"

"It sort of backfired though. I should have been more specific."

"Hmm..."

"Danny, I know that look," started Sam before Danny morphed into Phantom.

"Does that hurt," Daniel asked as he moved closer.

"No, I just get really cold."

"Like you're dying?"

Danny didn't respond, but instead he smiled.

"Danni, stay here, alright?"

"But I wanted to go..."

"I need you here."

Danielle glared at Danny before he floated into the air. His legs merged into a spectral tail and he flew behind his counterpart.

"What are you doing," Daniel asked which prompted the adults to finally take notice of them.

"We'll be back," stated Danny as he picked Daniel up from his under arms and turned them both intangible. Despite Vlad's protests, as well as his parents, he took Daniel out of the house.

Daniel had his eyes closed anticipating a long drop, but when none came he opened his eyes and looked down. He wasn't sure if he should be fascinated or scared. He was in no way afraid of heights considering all the trees and buildings he had been on top of, not to mention that would definitely put a damper on being an astronaut. At the moment, he was just scared of falling. There was nothing solid beneath him, and the only person he could trust was himself. That should have been reassuring, but it sort of wasn't. Daniel knew himself to be clumsy, and the last thing he wanted was for someone to drop him.

"Try to relax. I've carried Sam and Tucker lots of times. Besides, I sort of got the feeling that you've never flown before."

"What gave it away?" he asked lamely while Danny just chuckled.

"Which way am I going to get to the airport again?"

"Uh...Oh, that way!" Daniel said as he pointed.

"I didn't know Wisconsin had an airport...not until your Sam said so."

"M-my Sam?" Daniel stuttered. Danny realized his error in phrasing, then chuckled.

"I meant the Sam from your time. In my time, we didn't fly to Wisconsin. My dad drove the Family Assault Vehicle. Also known as the RV."

Daniel looked at the boy that was carrying him.

"The FFAV?" he laughed before he shook his head. "We have an SUV that's been decked out with weaponry. The Fenton Family Spirit Upending Vehicle."

Danny shook his head. Why were his parents slightly more subtle in this time line? It must have been Vlad's influence. It had to be.

"So when asked what it is, all they have to say is the Fenton Family SUV. Nice."

Daniel laughed at the sarcasm in Danny's voice before something odd happened. A portal opened up before them, but before Danny could turn around, he found himself being pulled in. Daniel screamed while Danny tightened his grip.

"Hang on," he shouted. Daniel said something snide under his breath, while the two were pulled into the portal. When they came out of the other side, they saw what had pulled them in. Daniel grinned as did Danny.

"Amiko," came the voice of one ghostly werewolf.

"Wulf," shouted Danny and Daniel together, but that only confused Wulf. Wulf began to sniff Daniel who wasn't exactly sure why he was being sniffed.

"A-miko?" he asked curiously.

"Dipstick!" shouted Ember angrily as she approached Danny, but she was momentarily sidetracked when she saw Daniel.

"What gives, why is your copy human?"

"I don't understand," said Daniel as he turned to look at Danny.

"The Ghost Zone has not been affected," stated one of two Observants.

"Quite," stated the second.

"Oh great, you two again. How is that even possible? If the ghost realm and human realms are connected," started Danny while looking at Daniel, "then shouldn't it be impossible to like, keep this world from being twisted like the human world?"

Ember seemed slightly shaken up by the appearance of the Observants, but she tried not to let them bother her.

"It's a really strong time freezing spell. Apparently they were saving up for a rainy day and used it to secure this realm in the Ghost Zone."

"But we're not in the Ghost Zone."

"Yes and no, whelp," came Skulker's voice. Before either Danny or Daniel knew what happened, they were both trapped inside of a net.

"What gives!?" they shouted together.

"This stadium is a safe haven for the ghosts at the moment. It is kept within a pocket between both the Ghost Zone and the human zone. It's location looks human like in appearance, but it is a realm between realms."

"How did we get here? We're trying to get to a ghost called Desiree," asked Daniel as he worked his way out of the rope.

"Wait, she's alive? Well, you know, not gone? I thought Clockwork would have ended her for being so bold."

"Clockwork wouldn't do that," stated Danny as Daniel helped him out of the rope. Danny promptly threw a ball of energy at Skulker which knocked him back. The mechanical ghost cringed at the damage to his armor, but said nothing.

"How would you know that, Dipstick? It's not like you've met him."

"Actually..." Danny started before he stopped. He decided that it was better they probably didn't know.

"Actually what, whelp?" questioned Skulker as he stood unaware of Danny's reaction to the Observants only moments ago.

"No no, she's right. I don't know Clockwork, but I figured he probably wouldn't harm her if she didn't pose a threat to the time streams, right?"

"How do you know so much," Skulker asked.

"Uh...internet?"

Skulker seemed convinced enough, especially when it came to Danny and his friends, the technology based human especially. Besides, Technus had used this _internet_ himself a few times, and Skulker knew that Vlad made some pretty sketches purchases over this _internet_ as well. Who was he to argue with the information that they found?

"Perhaps I should check out this _internet_ for myself."

"Anyway, you were saying that you were on your way to her..." interrupted Ember with a roll of her eyes. She knew that Danny wasn't being honest. Unlike her boyfriend she had caught Danny's interaction with the Observants, but she wasn't going to call him on it. Not when it wasn't as important as their current predicament.

"We were redirected when that portal opened up."

"Wulf, can you send them back to get Desiree?" asked Ember.

Wulf nodded and extended his claws. Danny and Daniel grinned, but it was cut short when Skulker placed his hands on their shoulders.

"I want to know about him," Skulker pointed to Daniel, "as well as the other one who shares your emblem."

Danny cringe before closing his eyes.

"You mean Danielle?"

Skulker did not look amused. He already knew about Danielle, after all he had helped Plasmius create her. It wasn't one of his best moments, and Ember hadn't spoken to him for months after the deed had been done...

"Whelp-" started Skulker only to be cut off by Danny.

"You don't want to know about that flaming haired jerk."

"You're not referring to me, are ya Danny?"

Skulker and Ember jumped back just in time to see Wulf go hurtling past them. Out from the portal that Wulf had created stood Dan Phantom with a sinister smirk on his face.

"It was hard finding this place, but I had a little help."

Dan wiggled the bracelet on his wrist and Daniel recognized it instantly. It was the same one that Vlad wore.

"How-"

"It seems to pulse whenever a disruption in space occurs. I hadn't noticed it before, but when I did I just followed it, like a game of Hot and Cold, and hit the jackpot."

"You're crazy if you think it'll end like last time, grub," stated Skulker angrily.

Danny backed up towards Daniel and nudged him in Wulf's direction.

"Get him to go with you to Desiree. Tell her that Clockwork wants her to help us. Convince her by any means necessary, then wish me back to your uncle's place, got it?"

Daniel nodded and casually made his way to the rising Wulf while Danny, Skulker and Ember stood their ground.

"How cute," Dan said with a smile on his face. "But foolish. Tell me, what happens when you have no one else to fight, hm? You recuperate, right?"

Dan took in a deep breath, and Danny's eyes grew wide.

"NO! Don't do it Dan. With all these ghosts here, you'll just drain yourself. Everyone will tear into you then."

Dan faltered, surprising Danny, and that seemed to be enough for Skulker.

"CHARGE!" he yelled as he and Ember, and a bunch of other ghost began to spring on Dan. Danny hung back, however, just to make sure that Daniel got to safety. When he saw that Wulf and Daniel had gone through a portal and it closed, Danny joined the fray.

"This...was not a good idea."

_**TBC**_

* * *

**Author's End Notes: **Again? Yes. I wanted to point on some things again and maybe ask for a bit of help? Yeah I know, but I want to so nyeh.

1.) Spirit Upending Vehicle is probably my favorite character in this chapter. "Why," you ask? Simply because I took my time coming up with the words to fit the acronym.

2.) Yes, if you were paying attention, that was a Fairy Oddparents reference. I found it was totally relevant at the time, and it fits.

3.) Danny is 'Whelp'. Danielle is 'Pup'. I do not like Dan being 'Grub', but that was all I could think of. If anyone has anything better, preferably something involving canines, then I would really appreciate it. xD


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: **Okay, so everyone knows that the 10th Dannyversary is on April 3rd. I wanted it noted that I want to upload the last chapter of this fic on that day, but due to me not having my own internet service or a means of transportation, it might now happen, not to mention I have much to do on April 1st. Like a doctor's appointment...then the pranks. *maniacal laugh* Anyway, I will really try to get chapter 14 and the bonus chapters uploaded then which means that you might get another chapter either later on today, the first or the second. Try not to hold me to it though. :/

SO! On to reviews.

**The Writer Es: "I LOVE your story cover"**

Thanks! I am proud to say that I made it myself. :D

**SonicCrazyGal: Amazing story! I could not stop reading it. I can't wait t see what happens next.**

Thank you, thank you thank you! Wait no further, chapter twelve is just below. :D

**Surprisingly enough, Kingpariah left me hangin' or perhaps I didn't give you enough time to respond or maybe...well, I dunno, but here's the chapter you've been waiting for. Just know that this is the chapter that I am really self-conscious about, and it should answer one of your questions. Anyway, let's begin!**

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Calling Card

_Escaping from Clockwork's demolished tower had been simple since the twins had been preoccupied with each other. He was grateful for that because with the power they were emitting, he didn't want to be caught in between them. For a while it had him rethinking his goals. If it meant opposing creatures with such powers, then was it really worth it? _

_Dan certainly had conflicting thoughts, but ultimately he knew that he would have to cross them eventually, though he wanted to be at full power before having to cross that bridge. What that meant was that he needed to lay low and bide his time. Of course, Dan wasn't a patient ghost and because of that he had preyed on the weaker ghosts for amusement. At first it had been the Box Ghost, the Lunch Lady and their daughter. The family of three had been out minding their own business when Dan had approached them. The little loudmouth, Box Lunch, had tried to befriend him, but he wasn't having it. He had knocked her away, causing her to cry and that, in turn, caused a somewhat cocky Box Ghost to try to defend his daughter. Of course that didn't exactly work out in the trio's favor. Dan was quite sure he had left them to perish, and didn't have to waste any power to do it._

_The next group of ghosts he came up against was Walker and his officers. Though Dan had no intention of bothering the Warden, for the moment, that didn't stop the warden from bothering him. An altercation occurred and Dan found himself in a situation that resulted in having to expend a bit of energy. Once he destroyed Walker's prison, he continued on his way. _

_Walker's Prison wasn't that far from Skulker's Island, which he had loitered at just for kicks. He had destroyed a few animals and dismantled a few traps, but Skulker hadn't been present. It was a bit disappointing because for once he wanted to hunt the hunter, but he figured that it just couldn't be helped. As he was leaving the island, Dan managed to catch what he was sure was music. He followed the sounds until he came upon Ember. He floated towards her and began to flirt, though he meant none of what he said, not that Ember was interested anyway. That had caused a fight between them to which Skulker had responded to. In the end, however, Skulker and Ember had been saved, and Dan was sure it was because of Clockwork. The meddlesome Time Master hadn't shown himself, but Dan just knew. _

_Flying off agitatedly, Dan found a few more ghosts to pester such as Johnny 13 and Kitty, but soon enough he had to reel it all in a recuperate. He found a floating island formation and laid down on it. He went to close his eyes, but that was when 'he' appeared. _

_The almost identical twin of Clockwork stood before Dan with a smirk on his face. The deranged Phantom wasn't all that impressed though, but he did put up his guard._

"_You certainly know how to cause planetary amounts of damage in a short period of time," said Quasar as he spun the star of his staff around._

"_I'm not sure if that was a pun or not, so I'm just going to assume that I should be honored that you acknowledged my work," stated Dan sarcastically._

_Quasar merely smirked at Dan's response before he began to circle around the tired phantom. Dan narrowed his eyes as he watched the twin of Clockwork, then raised a brow as the other stopped. It seemed he was thinking of something, and that piqued Dan's curiosity._

"_What?" he asked as he sat himself up._

"_Hm?" Quasar said, feigning ignorance. _

"_You're not foolin' anyone. What are you up to, Space Case?"_

_Quasar smiled at the term before he moved closer to Dan._

"_You and I both want the same thing."_

"_Which is?"_

"_To make Clockwork pay for what he's done to us, am I right?"_

"_So far."_

_Quasar smirked before he turned his back towards Dan._

"_How does the saying go? You scratch my back, and I scratch yours?"_

_Dan nodded his head skeptically. He wasn't the type to team up with anyone, but if it mean undermining and perhaps getting rid of Clockwork for good, he was all for playing nice._

"_Before I agree to anything, what is it that you want?"_

"_A simple distraction. Like a lot of other ghosts, you seem to have inherited my ability to manipulate space."_

"_Yeah, so?"_

"_The Observants are evacuating ghosts and moving them somewhere safe. I'd go there myself, but I have something else to attend to. You, on the other hand, do not."_

"_So you want me to go there and play?"_

_Quasar waved his hand nonchalantly and Dan sneered._

"_So I can manipulate space. All I can do is rip open portals. I can't exactly sense little hideaways."_

"_The bracelet I gave you will take care of that."_

_Dan looked to his bracelet and frowned at it._

"_How does it work?"_

"_All you need do is concentrate on finding a portal that is constantly being opened and closed, preferably in the same spot."_

"_And you can't just tell me where it is because..."_

"_It'll ruin the game."_

_Quasar grinned and disappeared in a swirling blue and purple vortex. Dan merely snorted, wiggled the bracelet around on his wrist, and then laid back down to rest. _

"_Does giving infuriating riddles instead of actual answers run in the family?"_

* * *

Dan was not amused with all the ghosts that had currently decided that it was Dog-Pile-On-Dan day. He curled in on himself, and then with all his might he pushed outward, causing ghosts to go falling off the top of the pile, and others to go careening away from him. Those who were brave enough to hold on to him were subjected to him spinning around until they surrendered their grip. Danny, who had been one of the first to get knocked back by Dan, had already sprung to his feet.

"Ugh, who is he?" snapped Skulker who pushed a dazed Klemper off his chest plate.

Danny ignored the question in favor of looking around at all the ghosts. They were trying their hardest to keep Dan busy. Many ghosts duplicated to keep him occupied, but a few well placed ecto-strands here and there had a majority of them all tied up. Danny grit his teeth and went to fly forward only to be yanked back by his ankle.

"I'm serious, Whelp!"

"Skulker, not now! Help me get rid of him and THEN I'll explain."

Skulker looked skeptical. He already had a run in with this ghost before, and though he hated to admit it, he would need some help to take him down.

"Fine. Any suggestions then?"

"Watch out for his Ghostly Wail."

Danny tried to fly into the fray once more, but Skulker's grip was vice-like.

"WHELP!"

Danny frowned and folded his arms over his chest. Skulker had a nervous look in his eyes, but he was definitely trying to mask it with anger.

"Why does that ghost share your calling card?"

"My what?"

"Your calling card! It's your signature move. Your trump card. Why do the two of you share it. It's not very often that two or more ghosts have the same special move. Not only that, but it's not everyday that more than one ghost has the same insignia, unless they're twins, and last time I checked you and that pup, Danielle-"

Skulker was cut off when Ember came hurtling in their direction. Skulker released Danny's leg to catch her which gave Danny enough time to make his escape. He really didn't want to explain everything to Skulker so he was glad for the momentary distraction. At the same time, however, he really didn't want to fight Dan. He wanted to get back to his family and friends in order to set things right.

"Can this get ANY worse?" Danny muttered to himself as he looked towards Dan whose back had been pelted with snowballs and icicles.

Danny would have smirked at the display had it not been for the fact that the second wave of ice base attacks went through an intangible Dan and effectively pinned him to the furthest wall of the stadium. Danny closed his eyes and breathed in relief. At least he hadn't been skewered.

"I deserved that," he mumbled as he turned intangible and slid down the wall. His mind momentarily flickered towards the time that Frostbite had trained him in using his newfound ice powers so that he could defeat the plant based ghost, Undergrowth.

Danny grit his teeth and flew forward. He tapped into his intangibility and flew through ghosts who were being forced back by Dan or were just in his way. Once Danny was close enough, he turned tangible and clenched his fists. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, but he ignored it as he called out to the evil version of himself and Vlad.

"Hey Dork Dan!"

Dan turned to face Danny and was met with a flying fist, Danny's momentum sending the somewhat shocked Phantom flying backwards. Frostbite and his people used their powers to form a wall of dull icicles which Dan immediately crashed into. Though he was not skewered (Frostbite's people were a peaceful people after all), he was still in discomfort. He glared at Danny and the hoard of ghosts that were starting to surround him. He was not at all pleased by the sudden change of events, and it definitely showed on his face. He shook his head and snorted while Danny hovered towards him with his hands crossed over his chest.

"You can't beat us all."

"So optimistic, aren't you?" Dan sneered as he eyed one half of his younger self. "Your innocent outlook on life is baffling."

"Your allegiance is baffling," stated Danny as he eyed the bracelet on Dan's wrist.

Dan snorted once he caught Danny's gaze and he wriggled his wrist.

"Why align yourself with him?"

"To make you suffer!" shouted Dan as he sprang to his feet.

Danny was only momentarily stunned before he duplicated himself just as Dan sent a blast his way. Due to the duplication, the blast missed; sailing between the duplicate Danny and the original. Danny then merged together with his clone and countered, throwing a glowing green disc towards the older Phantom. The disc hadn't been expected so Dan barely managed to dodge it. Of course, due to Dan only having eyes for Danny, he didn't see Ember and Kitty standing side by side. Kitty blew a kiss while Ember flew ahead of it and in front of Dan. She held her guitar like a bat and swung, but Dan punched the body of the guitar and watched it break. He then smirked at the somewhat distraught look on Ember's face.

"Nice try, Mc-Lame," stated Dan with a smirk.

"Not really," stated Ember as she waved at Dan who was now confused. It only took a moment for him to realize that something wasn't quite right. Moments later, he felt something hit him in the back. He looked behind him curiously, taking note of a very confused looking Kitty.

It then dawned on him that Kitty must have used her powers. What were they again? He remembered the Kitty from his time line trying to use them on him, but missed. She had managed to hit an older Young Blood instead and he had...vanished.

"Ah," he started, recognition in his eyes. "Your power to send men someplace unknown. It had to have worked only on men because you hit Ember as well..."

Ember exchanged a look with Danny before the half ghost rubbed his head and shrugged. Dan was momentarily lost in the memory. Young Blood had simply vanished, but that hadn't caused Kitty to stop her attack. She had missed again only to hit Ember instead.

Danny, on the other hand was trying to figure out why Kitty's attack hadn't worked. He knew what her powers did because Jazz and Sam had told him what happened when he left for his fishing trip with his dad. Apparently Ember, Spectra, and Kitty had wanted some time away from men, and had made them all disappear courtesy of Kitty's kiss and an enhancement from Ember's guitar.

"So then why-" Danny remembered the bracelet Dan wore and outwardly face-palmed. "Space Case. Right."

Danny shook his head only for it to fill with the question of if the Fenton Thermos, if he had it and was able to use it, would work on Dan while he wore the bracelet. Realizing that he wasn't exactly being helpful with just thinking, he closed his eyes and called forth his Cryokinesis in one hand and an ectoplasm ball in the other. While Dan was busy making fun of Kitty and swatting away other ghosts, Danny held his hands to his right side and let the two energies charge until they intertwined in one blue/green glowing ball. He then thrust his hands forward and watched as it sailed towards Dan.

Skulker been one of the ghosts who Dan had swatted away. His current suit wasn't meant to take this sort of abuse, but he refused to back down. He noticed Danny's charged up attack, and with a smirk he decided to aid the whelp. He knew Danny's attacks quite well and knew just how to enhance them. He sent out a glowing green charge of energy from his mouth at the ball, making it bigger while Ember watched on. Dan had just knocked the Box Ghost and Lunch Lady away from him when he took notice of the attack. He braced himself immediately and summoned a shield around his body. The energy ball connected with the shield, causing cracks to appear in it until it finally broke. Dan's eyes went wide as the ball connected with his body. He screamed from shock more so than the pain before his screamed evolved into a Ghostly Wail.

Everyone covered their ears while those who were closer to Dan were immediately flung backwards. Danny closed his eyes against the pain before he started screaming himself; releasing a much more powerful wail. The two wails collided with each other, but Danny's pushed Dan's back until it hit the more deranged ghost. Danny dropped to his knees, his breath was ragged and his eyes began to fade a bit to blue. His signature rings appeared and changed him back to his Fenton persona, but he was far from out of the fight. He forced himself to his feet and forced his transformation, knowing that he was going to feel it later. He cautiously walked over to the downed phantom with Skulker and Johnny by his side.

The trio of males looked down at Dan, his head no longer flaming. Danny took that as a sign that the bigger ghost was down and out, at least for the moment. Danny, hesitantly, reached down and attempted remove the bracelet from Dan's wrist. Before his finger could even brush the trinket, it glowed and sparked before shocking Danny. Danny hissed at the pain and pulled his hand away. He rubbed at the appendage before noticing that the bracelet was darkening, or more specifically, rusting. A few seconds later the bracelet snapped and fell from Dan's wrist only for it to turn to dust.

"Whelp," snapped Skulker as he placed his hand on Danny's shoulder. "Explain."

Danny let out a ragged breath and turned to Skulker with a slight frown and look of nervousness on his face. His fingers twitched before he rubbed the back of his neck.

"He's evil," started Danny while he continued to rub the back of his head.

Skulker looked unimpressed because he obviously knew the ghost was evil. What other creature would attack when there was more important things to concern themselves with at a time like this? The evacuation of the Ghost Zone was definitely a time when every ghost should come together. Skulker reigned in his anger and shook his head while motioning towards Dan's attire.

"He shares many traits with you and the pup. Why?"

Ember and Kitty approached the group and looked down at Dan apprehensively.

"In a future that no longer exists, he was created from pain and fruit loopy-ness."

Skulker gave Danny a look which hinted at pain that would surely come if he didn't elaborate and Danny sighed.

"He's an evil combination of myself and Vlad from a future that no longer exists."

If it wasn't silent before, it was definitely silent now. Skulker and Ember exchanged disbelieving looks, and wanted to question Danny more, but it was clear that now was not the time. Dan had groaned and Kitty panicked and hit him with her purse which more or less snapped Dan out of his daze.

Dan growled and tried to stagger to his feet. Skulker's arsenal, which wasn't as updated as it was in his other suit, had sprang up and was pointed directly at the dark phantom. Dan sneered at the group, but the other ghosts surrounded him slowly, making him realize that he was definitely in trouble. He raised his wrist, hoping that somehow Quasar would be able to sense his distress, but Dan was surprised to see that the bracelet was no longer there.

"Sorry _Danny_, but you're not getting out of this." Danny inwardly winced at how he had addressed the other; using the name that was own to insult his jerky future self had hurt like it had been some sort of physical blow. Even so, the desired effect was achieved. Dan sneered and muttered curses in the form of deserts.

"What do we do with him," Johnny asked as he held on to Kitty.

"Leave him to us," came the voice of one of the Observants. The ghosts cleared the way for the spirits and watched as they raised their hands towards Dan. Dan defiantly looked towards the Observants, his hair somewhat flickering indicating that he was ready for a fight.

The Observants were hesitant, but they shot Dan with a golden form of ecto-energy, something that none of the others had seen before if the gasps around the area was anything to go by. When all was said and done, golden shackles were clasped around Dan's hands and feet. He tried to break them, but found that what little strength he had was being siphoned and, much to his surprise, enforcing the strength of the shackles.

One of the Observants shook his head, like he was saddened by the event, but Danny knew that there was more to it.

"What was that," he asked with a frown on his face.

"Restraints," replied one of the Observants bitterly. Danny rolled his eyes and was about to open his mouth to retaliate when the other Observant responded.

"For Quasar and...Clockwork."

Whatever words Danny were about to say seemed to lodge themselves in his throat. He suddenly felt woozy and let himself drop to his knees, his transformation reversing itself. It was only then did he realize how tired and weak he was. His Ghostly Wail had been used to its fullest after all.

"WHELP!" Skulker snapped which made Danny flinch. He couldn't remember the last time he heard Skulker so angry.

Skulker grabbed Danny by his shirt and hoisted him up towards eye level. Danny could feel the fury that Skulker was emitting, and though Skulker was a small ghost in actuality, it did nothing to squash Danny's current fear of the mechanical suit using creature. Even so, Danny swallowed at least some of his fear and retaliated with anger.

"Put. Me. Down."

Danny's eyes had turned green, but they weren't as bright and vibrant as usual; an empty threat to say the least.

"Do you know what we're up against?" Skulker snapped, ignoring Danny's protest because, quite frankly, Danny could do nothing more at this point.

"A family feud," Danny admitted quietly, though Skulker was easily able to pick up his words.

Skulker let Danny drop in favor of taking Ember's hand in his. He then began to tug her away from the group.

"We refuse to be a part of this, and anyone who is smart should do the same," replied Skulker angrily.

Ember tugged her hand away from Skulker and crossed them over her chest. Her emotions were running out of control, but out of all of them, confusion was the dominant.

"What exactly are we refusing to be a part of and where exactly are you trying to drag me? In case you've forgotten, this is supposed to be a _refuge._"

When Skulker said nothing, Ember looked into mechanical helmet and passed the lights until she could make out the little ghost inside the suit. She could see that, like his mechanical body, he was tense, but the look on his face was deeply troubled.

"Skulker, what's happening? You've figured something out?"

"Until today, the Master of Time was merely a mythical being and nothing more. I did as much research as I could when I was under Plasmius's employ because he wanted to learn and perhaps seek out the Time Master. Due to this I learned about the Staves of Time and Space. At first, I thought nothing of it because of the simple fact that time and space go hand in hand. I had theorized that the staves were the same until I came across old pictures; very old. They showed two different sticks, one having a star at its base and the other having a clock. I merely thought the staff changed its appearance for whatever it was manipulating."

Skulker got quiet for a moment to compose himself before he started again.

"I was wrong. There are two staves which ultimately means there are two different spirits. One is of time and one is of space. It explains much..."

Skulker trailed off, unaware of the rising confusion in the rest of the ghosts. Danny bit his lower lip before he decided to elaborate a bit more.

"Clockwork's twin brother, or Quasar as the Observants mentioned, is um...mad and is trying to unravel the world."

"Universe," corrected the two Observants.

The entire population of ghosts that were present turned to look at the Observants, unsure how to respond to that. Some ghosts looked towards Dan who didn't really seem too impressed with the situation. In fact, he looked as though he was thinking about possibly trying to escape despite his obvious handicaps. Danny's expression deepened and he absently rubbed his throat. He shook his head and held his breath. He could feel many eyes on him as he knelt down beside his evil self.

"I know you don't want him to destroy everything."

Dan looked towards his younger self and snorted.

"And why would you assume that? He and I want the same thing."

"Exactly," stated Danny as though his unvoiced thoughts were the most obvious thing in the world. "You both want the same thing, but I'm sure you don't want him to do it all himself, ya know, to take all the credit."

"Is this your way of using reverse psychology to ask for my help?"

Danny looked like a _thief_ being held at gun point. Dan merely grinned at his younger self.

"How soon you forget that Vlad is a part of me, not to mention Jazz is in my memory."

Danny could kick himself, but instead he shook his head. He would never outright ask a monster to help him. It was the last thing he wanted. Heck, he didn't even want to be in the same room with...with...that, but...

"You're right. Whatever, forget I said anything."

Dan smirked as his younger self turned his back.

"That hero complex of yours will get you killed."

Danny tensed before shaking his head.

"Maybe, but at least I would die as a hero fighting for what's right instead of hiding behind my anger."

Dan's smirk instantly vanished and was replaced by him biting his lower lip, his fangs cutting him and causing ectoplasm to leek from it. There was a low growl resonating from within him, but Danny didn't turn around.

"At least I am facing my fears while simultaneously trying to save the world. Besides, with the world destroyed, there would be nothing. No Ghost Zone, no Human Zone, no you, no me, no-one. Nothing. Gone, everything would be gone, and you don't want that. I don't think you want that despite what you say or try."

Dan merely bit into his lip harder and closed his eyes. Something was..._wrong. _Something was wrong, but he had no idea _what _that something was. The thought, no, the memories of losing Tucker, Sam, Maddie, Jack and Jazz flooded through his senses and began to play behind his closed eyelids. He could remember everything with painful clarity, and it was only amplified by the combination of his two sides. It was more than emotionally painful, but physically painful as well. Dan wanted to scream, but he refused to let it out. He refused to show what he should no longer have. He refused to show his emotions.

Danny turned around to say something more, but he stopped. Dan's eyes were clamped so tightly and his lip was bleeding; green ectoplasm dribbling down his chin and mingling in his beard, but that wasn't what startled Danny. It was the tears. Danny hadn't expected it, and he certainly didn't know how to react. Danny swallowed thickly as he watched Dan silently. Dan's body twitched and began to glow brighter, much to the surprise and growing fear of the other ghosts. Those closest to Dan moved away, while Danny merely looked towards the Observants who were watching Dan with a sense of _knowing_. Danny wanted to question them about what they knew, but a noise from Dan silenced him and caused him to face the demented phantom.

"Maddie," Dan mumbled. "Jack," he continued and that was when Danny heard it. Two voices mingling together, but one of them was dominant; Vlad's _broken_ voice.

"Jazz," Dan continued and much to Danny's surprise, confusion, and even a little dismay, he heard his own warped and broken voice as the dominant one. He winced hard before he walked closer to Dan. "Lancer."

Dan, on the other hand, was unaware of his behavior. He had no idea of his tears or of how he was speaking. No, he was fighting. He was trying his hardest to force the pain back into the furthest recesses of his mind. The pain he had worked so hard to get rid off were back and it was two times as worse. He didn't like the pain, nor did he want to let it go because it was all he had. It enabled him to keep going and allowed him to cause everyone else pain. That was what he wanted after all. He wanted to make sure that everyone knew how he felt. He wanted to make people hurt because it wasn't fair!

_All _his_ life _he_ had been alone. _His_ parents worked all the time and rarely had time for _him_, and when they did it was usually around dinner time, and even then they didn't seem concerned with _his_ presence. It wasn't until _he_ was in _his_ last years of high school did _he_ decide that _he_ needed to leave. _He_ was smart enough and set financially enough so that _he_ could move out of _his_ parents' house. It had been the happiest day of _his_ life, but living alone only amplified _his_ loneliness. When _he_ went to Wisconsin University and met Jack Fenton, it had been the happiest and weirdest day of _his_ life. _He_ had been the new kid and knew exactly what to expect from _his_ peers. _He_ didn't exactly look like a college student and that in itself was enough to have people make fun of _him, _calling _him _kid or small fry. What _he_ hadn't expected was for someone to come to _his_ rescue. Jack had bounded over to _him_ happily looking like Cinderella's pumpkin carriage had gotten away. Jack had stopped immediately in front of _him _and grinned. Jack introduced himself and took _him_ around the school, helping _him_ find _his_ way and commenting on the classes that they seemed to share. It had been halfway through the first month of them knowing each other did the two decided that, since they were such 'brothers' that they might as well dorm together; Jack living on his own since no-one wanted to take him in knowing that he was accident prone and _he_ not wishing to spend his time alone a small apartment. A year or so later, Maddie had come into their lives. She was sweet and could be shy, at least until there was something mentioned that interested her. It was then that the trio became very close friends. A year later came the talk of ghosts, the experiments, and finally the day of the portal experiment; the day that _he_ lost what _he_ knew, _his_ friends, _his_ love and, to _him_, _his_ life.  
_

-0-0-0-

He_ wasn't exactly good at making friends, though it wasn't _his_ fault. _He_ didn't blame them, but _his_ parents had put a target on _his_ back the moment _he_ was born. Their experiments with ghosts was frowned upon and by extension _he_ was frowned upon. _His_ sister was in the same boat as _he_ was, but she was smart and she was pretty and that had alleviated her troubles. She had even been allowed to skip a few grades, but she had declined, wanting to stay with her little brother. _He_ remembered it fondly because not only did his sister have _his_ back, but _he_ had accidentally made two friends who would remain by _his_ side for life. It was in second grade...Tucker, a boy from class, had been looking ill all day. Around lunch time, it seemed to amplify. Tucker had been walking past a black haired girl who was about to pull out her food from a pink and purple lunch box when one of the teachers had called her name. She had gotten up to see what the matter was and Tucker just so happened to vomit in her lunch. Wincing from _his_ spot in line, _he_ rushed over to help Tucker out of the cafeteria and towards the nurse's office. _He_ stuck close to Tucker, but was ushered out of the office. _He_ didn't leave his spot near the office door until Tucker's parents arrived and was relieved to see the dark skinned boy feeling somewhat better._

_When Tucker finally arrived at school after a week's absence he had approached _him_ and made small talk. They became friends as quick and as simple as that. Later that same day, the black haired girl confronted Tucker about her lunch because, like a few other kids, she had noticed that he had been feeling ill. _He _had opted to stay out of it because she was scary and because he didn't want to lose his new and only friend. Tucker looked a bit pale, but instantly he pointed to a kid named Ricky Marsh and pinned the blame on him. _He_ raised his brow questioningly at the lie, but didn't say anything about it. The black haired girl was furious because she had, apparently, had a run in with Ricky before. She had pointed to _him_ and Tucker with her pointer finger, opened her mouth to say something, but ended up walking away. _He _and Tucker seemed relieved after her departure. It was only during recess when they were playing on the slide together did they happen to notice the black haired girl approaching the monkey bars. At first they thought nothing of it until they saw her climbing to the very top while below the bars, Ricky was swinging from one bar to the next. The black haired girl, from her position on top, kicked out her foot and made Ricky fall. She seemed satisfied with her work and quickly scurried away before a teacher arrived while Ricky started to cry. _

_Later, the black haired girl confronted _him, _fidgeting because she wanted to speak with Tucker. _He _had been unsure where the girl stood and decided, for Tucker's safety, that it was best to make sure the girl wasn't going to kick Tucker off the money bars like he did Ricky. When _he _deemed it to be safe, _he _formerly introduced her to Tucker as Sam Manson. Tucker was nervous and didn't say anything at first. Sam gave him a friendly smile and Tucker had smiled back. The trio began to hang out everyday since which was how their unbreakable trio formed; and still it remained..._

_The prototype ghost portal had malfunctioned while Jack and Maddie could only watch in horror induced silence._

He_ was only fourteen when _he_ walked into _his_ parents' dysfunctional ghost portal by the prompting of Sam while Tucker watched on._

_The malfunction of the proto-portal caused an electrically charged overspill of ectoplasm to jump at _his_ face violently; almost ending _his_ twenty plus years of life._

He_ had accidentally pressed an unknown button inside of the dysfunctional portal which caused it to stir and send volt after painful volt of electrically charged ectoplasm through _his _very being_.

_A part of _him _died that day._

_A part of _him _died that day. _

_A Halfa _he_ became._

_A Halfa _he _became._

He _held the reunion to make _his_ former friend pay for betraying _him_; for stealing Maddie. _He_ knew now that Jack had not betrayed him._

He _held the answers to the test in his hand, not realizing that it was going to condemn his friends, his family, and his teacher._ He_ had betrayed them._

He _had mourned for his 'brother' Jack and Maddie, and had let go of his anger, bitterness and hate._

He _had been unable to mourn for his mother, father, sister, best friends, and teacher and he grew angry, bitter, and hateful._

He _had taken him in._

He_ had begged for the pain to stop._

He_ had agreed to take it all away._

He _had been separated from his host._

He _had been separated from his host._

He _had been attacked, but refused to defend._

He _had attacked, not letting the other defend._

_Two separate beings merged. _They_ became one. _They _had thought to sever ties, to destroy the thing that had caused so much pain, to destroy Daniel Fenton, but it had not been enough. The world needed to suffer. The world needed to know. The world was not allowed to forget because _they_ would never forget._

Dan wailed, the pain and the anguish, the fear and hate, the angst, the hurt, the remorse...it all came out in one Ghostly Wail. It was unlike anything that Danny had ever heard. The wail didn't hurt him, not physically though. Dan's emotions and feelings were laced with that wail. Everything that he had built up over the years was let out in a single heartbreaking wail. When it finally stopped, Dan's hands were no longer shackled. Everyone tensed when they realized this, and everyone braced for battle. When Dan's eyes opened, he looked defeated. He looked like a beaten and broken dog. He looked confused and hurt, and he looked...remorseful? Danny remained silent and his expressed was hard. Dan just closed his eyes without a word.

Danny refused to relax, but he turned to looked at the Observants.

"What happened?" he asked silently, like he didn't want to incur the wrath of the ghost behind him.

The two Observants looked at him and then at each other. Their silent exchange did nothing for Danny's nerves, but he remained quiet until the Observants looked back at him.

"Your words...seemed to have-," one of the Observants said.

"You've somehow managed to force his pain to the surface," the other said though it was clear that he did not believe his own words.

Danny didn't know what was being said to him. It was as though the Observants were speaking in some foreign language. At the moment, he was sure that he could understand Wulf more than whatever such nonsense the Observants were spouting. There was no way...

"Clockwork learns his tactics from you," Danny mumbled before turning back to the downed Dan.

"There is...something different." Frostbite stated with a slight frown on his muzzle.

"Yes," one of the Observants said. "It would seem that he has let some of his pain go."

"As I said," stated the other Observant, "He was forced to face his past. Forced to...release his anger. It was not just the boy, however, but the constant and much more frequent shifting of time and space thanks to Clockwork and Quasar and perhaps something...more..."

"...I don't understand," snapped Danny while ignoring Frostbite who was examining Dan.

"Whelp," stated Skulker from a safe distance. "His ghostly obsession..."

Danny looked at Skulker with obvious confusion in his eyes. Skulker shook his head at how he obviously had to explain everything.

"Pain. Pain seems to be his obsession, and judging by the release, he was in massive amounts of it, and there is no telling how much more he has built up inside him. Whatever happened to him, he was obviously unable to cope. His obsession was to cause pain because that was all that _he_ could feel."

Danny looked towards Dan with only a bit of pity before shaking his head, the expression immediately disappearing.

"He wanted to kill my family and my friends so that I could _be_ him."

Skulker knew better than to inquire further, so he said nothing while Danny looked down at Dan. Ember and Kitty looked at each other while Johnny looked towards the Box Ghost, his wife and daughter. They were oddly quiet.

"What now?" Danny asked as he turned from the family trio to look at the other ghosts and then finally to the Observants. "His shackles are gone."

Danny wanted to get away, but something seemed to keep him in place.

"The shackles weren't created for him to begin with," stated one of the Observants.

"Yes, but I must admit that this is most disconcerting. He was able to break free from them with relative ease-" stated the other.

"But only because he is one of the rare few that possess both properties needed to break the restraints. He just does not realize it yet..."

No-one said anything, though Danny did NOT like what was happening.

"It would also seem that his aura has lightened."

"I agree. Darkness does not seem to permeate the air around him-"

"NO!" shouted Danny as he rounded on and cut off the Observants. His eyes took on their green glow, albeit still not as vibrant as normal but getting closer. "Don't you dare claim that he isn't evil. He's still the sick freak that tried to kill my family to make sure that he still existed! There is no good in him! There is nothing there, nothing! You've seen the world that he left behind; the one that no longer exists! All the people that he's hurt, all the people that he would've hurt if Clockwork and I hadn't stopped him!"

Danny was shaking with anger. He closed his eyes and tried to steady his breathing, but it just wasn't working.

"I couldn't save my family, not really. That was Clockwork. The explosion...he...he saved them. I almost lost them because of _him_!" Danny growled out while pointing at Dan.

Danny held his breath as though it would keep the tears from falling, but it didn't. Everyone who meant something to him had been strapped down to the vat of Nasty Sauce and he couldn't even save them! It had taken months after the explosion for the Nasty Burger to have a grand reopening, and Danny didn't want to step one foot inside the place. He had to be dragged to the restaurant by his family and his friends. He would've had a panic attack if it weren't for those he loved being alive and well.

"Don't tell me that he isn't evil," Danny stated softly.

No-one said anything for a moment before the Observant who had been cut off continued.

"-Darkness doesn't permeate the air around him _so thickly_ as before."

"He's hurting, Great One," stated Frostbite carefully as he looked towards Danny. It was clear that he was trying to think of how to explain this without further incurring Danny's wrath. "His anger was most likely amplified by his pain and confusion."

Danny bit his lower lip. He knew what Frostbite was saying because in Dan's wail he felt all of it, and he _saw_ all of it. He saw, but he refused to acknowledge. He refused to believe. Dan didn't deserve a...a...a second chance.

Danny turned his back to everyone and rubbed his eyes. He once more forced his transformation and hovered in the air.

"I don't have time for this," he stated, glad that his voice didn't crack. "I have to get back to my family and make sure that everyone is alright. With Dan here, Quasar can't be that far behind."

No one said a word as Danny continued to hover there. He had no idea how he would be getting back, but luckily he felt a tingle over his body and a light blue/green mist began to surround him. It felt familiar.

"Right on time," stated Skulker without batting an eye. His sarcasm was obvious, but no one called him on it. Instead Danny vanished from where he was hovering unaware of Dan watching him through his eyelashes.

* * *

Wulf and Daniel were a bit shaken by the journey, and neither said anything to the other. Daniel felt a bit confused, but he figured that was normal in a situation like this. Daniel rubbed the back of his neck, then stopped when he noticed their surroundings. They were inside luxurious plane cabin. No doubt whoever owned the plane believed in 'First Class Or No Class'. Daniel walked on until Wulf stopped to sniff the air.

"Amika?" he asked, clearly confused because there was no-one their.

"Wulf?" came a voice that Daniel was sure came from the very air itself. Then he remembered that he was dealing with ghosts, but on a much bigger scale than he was used to. His parents would definitely have a field day with all of this. He shuddered at the mere thought of it.

"Amika!" Wulf said happily when Desiree appeared. She seemed happy that a fellow ghost was with her. Wulf worked over towards her while Daniel followed timidly after him.

"Hello," Daniel tried timidly which, in turn, caused Desiree to round on him.

"YOU!" she snapped, and was about to do something before Wulf stood in front of her to block him.

"Me Amiko," Wulf said, indicating the boy behind him. Desiree raised a brow, but calmed herself. She folded her arms over her chest.

"He and his friends left me in this horrible plane."

"It wasn't me, but the other me. The one that's part ghost."

Desiree looked towards Daniel and began to examine him more thoroughly with narrowed eyes. He was definitely different from the Danny that she knew. He was a little more timid, but not as timid as the time she had erased the memory of Sam from his mind. Yes, this Danny was definitely different. Then it dawned on her. She immediately understood. She nodded her head and looked towards Wulf. She rubbed gently behind his ears, having noticed the singe marks in his fur.

"What happened?" she questioned. Wulf looked a little upset, but didn't answer.

"He and some other ghosts were attacked by a completely different ghost. The other Danny stayed behind to help while he sent Wulf and I to ask for your help."

Desiree looked at Daniel skeptically, but Wulf was nodding his head in agreement.

"And why would I help him, hm?"

"Because Clockwork wants your help."

Desiree's face seemed to soften, but just a bit. She was vexed with being left behind when she was only concerned.

"He's in trouble, but we need to meet up with everyone! Please?"

Desiree bit her lower lip, unsure if she should really help or not. Of course, she couldn't leave the plane without a little help herself, and of course her wish manipulating could only go so far. She sighed before she nodded her head.

"What must I do?" she said, sounding tired. Daniel pitied her, especially since he knew that Clockwork honestly didn't even know that they were asking her to help.

"Let's get you out of this plane first," stated Daniel, hoping that this was the right course of action. He did want her to trust him. She looked at him, a bit surprised by that. She felt her mouth curve upward, but stopped it before she could form a smile.

"I wish that you, Wulf, and I were in my uncle's basement."

It only took Desiree a moment to think of the pros and cons of working the wish to a more...sinister outcome for the boy, but she realized that Clockwork would not approve of such an act. The mere thought of the Time Master acting against her made her stomach flip uncomfortably. With a sigh and slight eye roll, she lifted her hands in the air and closed her eyes.

"So you have wished it, so shall it be."

The trio was surrounded by a light blue/green mist and was transported to their destination. When the smoke cleared, they were surprised to see everyone looking a bit pale. It then subsided to worry while Danielle, whose ghost sense had gone off upon the ghosts' arrival, took a defensive stance. When she realize who it was, she lowered her hands and relaxed a bit.

"Daniel!" shouted Vlad as he rushed towards the boy to hug him. Sam and Tucker were inwardly grateful that Danny wasn't there to see this show of affection while simultaneously jealous that they witnessed it and worried that their friend wasn't present.

"I'm fine, uncle Vlad."

Vlad looked at the two new ghost warily while holding Daniel close.

"Where's Danny?" Jack asked with a look of pure worry on his face, Maddie's face mirroring her husband's.

"We got caught in a portal and transported to some other placed filled with other ghosts."

"What?!" Everyone asked, clearly not expecting that answer.

"Wulf here was able to get me to Desiree so that we could bring her here to help."

"Desiree, I'm sorry I left you on the plane! I should have phrased my wish better."

Desiree nodded towards Jazz, but said nothing. She was just as wary of the humans as they were of her and Wulf. The only thing that was keeping her in place was the thought that Clockwork needed her.

"So now that Desiree is here, what now? We need Danny," stated Tucker with a frown on his face.

"I didn't want to leave him behind," stated Daniel with a frown on his face. "Wulf sort of pulled me out of there. I'm sorry."

Sam frowned and shook her head. "Don't be. We know how Danny is, trust us."

Daniel smiled a bit before looking at the alternate version of his parents. They were smiling sadly at him. Daniel then frowned before turning back towards Desiree.

"Desiree, I wish you'd bring Danny here."

Everyone flinched as the wish was made, but it was too late to stop it from being spoken or fulfilled. Everyone who knew Desiree closed their eyes and expected the worse, but then they slowly opened their eyes. Danny looked ragged and tired, but otherwise fine. He looked at everyone in the room, then smiled. He let out a sigh and let his transformation switch his form.

"Sweetie!" his mother shouted as she and Jack jumped forward to hug him close.

"I'm fine mom, just a little banged up. Promise."

"What happened?" Sam asked with a frown on her face.

"Better question, what sort of side-effect should we expect?" stated Tucker who was eying Desiree.

The wishing ghost said nothing as she watched the interaction.

"Guys, relax, and thanks Desiree. You really came through for me. Ember said that she's glad you still exist."

Desiree seemed to suppress a smile.

"Do NOT ignore me, Daniel Fenton."

Both Danny's winced at Sam's tone. Danny sighed and looked towards Sam with a frown on his face.

"It was nothing to worry about. Danny and I just sort...heh, Danny and I...er, we sort of got sucked into an in between realm which is keeping the ghosts from undergoing the same changes we are. Anyway, they're evacuating the Ghost Zone and they felt my energy and pulled me in, I guess."

Danny turned to Wulf who nodded.

"That doesn't explain why you're all banged up," stated Danielle who had been silently standing by. Danny gave her an annoyed look, but a look from his sister and a glance at his mother told him that if Danielle hadn't asked then they would've.

"It was...Dan."

"Are you alright?!"

"Did he hurt you?!"

"Dude..."

"Guys, I'm fine. In fact...something weird happened. He snapped. The Observants says 'cause of how wacky Clockwork and his bro have made things that it's messing with Dan and I may have gotten through to him or something stupid like that."

Everyone who had any iota of what was going on got quiet until Tucker spoke.

"What do you mean you got through to him?"

Danny rubbed the back of his head before he began to explain what had happened and what it meant. The others looked skeptical, and he assured them that they weren't the only ones. Still, a nagging part of him hoped that it was true, because they would probably need Dan's help in the future. Tucker merely sighed and rolled his eyes.

"Well crazy ghosts aside we should get back to the problem at hand..." stated Tucker who looked towards Vlad. "What do we do now? I mean, Vlad's here so like, do we wait?"

Danny frowned at the thought before he looked towards Vlad, something in the man's eye having caught his attention.

"Someone make a wish!" Desiree snapped at everyone's silence. They all turned to look towards her, but she had lowered her head. She hadn't meant to be so forward, but with the lack of action and her worry over Clockwork...well, it just made her testy.

"No," stated Danny. "Dan was able to find the ghosts' because of Quasar. If we keep distorting space, no doubt he'd find us too."

"What about Clockwork? Where is he? I was told that he needs my help."

Everyone except the Dannys looked confused.

"He does," stated Danny like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Jazz looked at her brother incredulously. She knew what he was doing and she did **not **approve.

"He needs all of our help. Clockwork won't admit it out loud, but he's bothered by this whole situation. This is his twin brother we're up against, which is making this hard for Clockwork. Desiree, you didn't see how he looked when he came to us for help. Clockwork was hurt because he wanted to give his brother a chance. He didn't want to fight, but now he has to. He needs our help and our support."

Desiree nodded reluctantly while his mother, sister, and Sam gave him conflicting expressions. He mouthed that he was sorry, but he wasn't lying. They needed help, and it was awesome to have Desiree helping with no strings attached.

"I wish you would remove their medallions."

Everyone was stunned, none more so than Daniel.

"Uncle...Vlad?"

"I'm sorry my boy, but if they remove their medallions then they would integrate into this world. Everyone would be happy then and blissfully unaware!"

"You lousy sna-" started Danielle before she was cut off by a surprised looking Desiree.

"So you have wished it, so shall it be."

Desiree looked on apologetically and used her powers, but something strange happened. The medallions deflected off the group and went back to its source. Desiree let out a strangle cry and hit the wall. She slid down and shook her head in confusion. Danny reached in his shirt and looked at his medallion with a frown. The blue and purple coalesced together, and then Danny realized that no form of space could mess with them. Desiree's powers were based on the manipulation of space. It was like how Kitty's attack had no effect on Dan.

Vlad paled before he lowered his head. His planned had failed, and there would be nothing he could do. No, there was something more he could do. Vlad grabbed Daniel's hand and tried to pull him up the stairs.

"Uncle Vlad, stop!"

"Come along Daniel."

"No!" Daniel snapped as he yanked his arm away.

Danielle morphed into her phantom form and fired an ecto-blast at Vlad. Vlad immediately let go of his nephew and ran up the stairs. Daniel rubbed his sore arm and watched as his uncle slammed the door. Betrayal and hurt was dominant on his expression. Danny looked at Daniel while Samantha and Tuck stayed by his side.

"He's scared," Jack said, suppressing his anger. "He doesn't want things to go back to the way they were."

"Well that's too fudgin' bad because that is EXACTLY what is about to happen," snapped Danny as he began to storm towards the stairs.

"Guys, I think I have an idea forming," stated Tucker as he looked at his medallion.

"Not now," stated Danielle as she turned intangible and zoomed directly for the basement door with every intention of flying through it.

Instead, however, she hit the door head on and fell painfully down the stairs. Jazz and Maddie were to her side in an instant while Danny stopped his trek to the stairs.

"He turned on the ghost shield..." stated Daniel, as he looked towards the top of the stairs wearily. He couldn't believe his uncle would be so desperate and scared. Samantha rubbed Daniel's shoulder reassuringly and it seemed to make him blush more than make him feel better.

"What if he contacts your parents," Tuck said, turning pale. The basement got silent before Maddie smirked.

"You leave them to me," she said. Jazz looked at her mother curiously, but she said nothing more on the subject.

"Now that we have time..." stated Tucker with only a little remorse towards Danielle. He was a bit annoyed with being brushed off.

Danielle looked at him with a pout while rubbing her head, but Tucker merely looked at his medallion.

"I think I get how they work. Clockwork said that they would protect us from the shifting of space and time, right? You notice how Desiree's powers didn't work? How they were redirected?"

"Yeah, so?" stated Jazz, not following.

"I was thinking along those same lines," said Jack who was obviously following Tucker. "Her powers didn't work on any of us just now, but they worked on Danny when he was brought back here."

"Exactly," stated Tucker, glad to have someone on the same page as him.

"But what does that mean," asked Daniel who was using this as a distraction from the raging betrayal in his gut.

"It means that there is obviously more to these medallions than we originally realized," stated Sam with a frown.

"Basically Tucker, you're thinking that depending on the intention, the medallions would either allow or deflect any time or space based attack?" asked Tuck with a knowing smile.

"YES!" stated Tucker happily. "Man when this is over I'm going to miss you. We _have_ to build something to communicate over parallel dimensions.

"No doubt," agreed Tuck with a smile.

"Alright, Techno-Geeks, before you go all Coo-Coo for Cocoa Puffs on us, let's assume that your theory is right...what more are you thinking," asked Sam confusedly.

"Utilizing it to your advantage," stated Tuck simply. "This Quasar guy won't expect it so he'll probably think sending you into Earth's atmosphere would be an effective way to get rid of you, but instead he'll end up sending himself there."

"But what if he's too powerful and ends up breaking through the medallions' defenses?" asked Danielle timidly.

The Tuckers remained quiet while Jack looked at his medallion. Maddie was biting her lower lip.

"As long was we're in constant contact with out medallions, we won't be forced to...integrate, if that is indeed what would happen if we removed the medallions. We could run a few tests on them-"

"No," snapped Danny while shaking his head. "It's not worth the risk."

"Danny-"

"Forget it, Mrs. Fenton. I agree with Danny. I don't think it's wise for any of us to tamper with the medallions."

Maddie looked towards Daniel, Samantha and Tuck, then back to her own children and their friends. She lowered her head and sighed. Danny, taking that as a victory, continued his walk to and up the stairs. When he reached the door he grabbed the knob and turned, only to find it locked.

"It was worth a shot," he muttered. "So while we're waiting for this world's mom and dad, we should probably prepare for the worst."

"I told you sweetie, to leave that to me."

Danny looked at his mother skeptically before she pulled Jack and Jazz to the side. She began to speak with them silently while Danielle turned back to her human guise. Danny just watched in bewilderment while Sam and Tucker took the initiative and helped Wulf with an injured Desiree. Danny merely leaned against the wall before his ears caught the noises from upstairs. He shook slightly before he looked towards the others. He hadn't been the only one to hear the noise.

"We're robots!" Jazz whispered loudly. Danny nodded his head, though he didn't understand what she had just said or why. "Desiree, Wulf, can you disappear?"

The two ghosts looked to each then nodded.

"It most likely won't help," Daniel stated. "My parents have ghost trackers and-"

"Trust us," stated Maddie with a wink. "You two switch shirts, and hurry."

Danny and Daniel looked at each other before doing what was asked. The Sams reluctantly turned away from the Dannys while the Tuckers looked everywhere else except at them. When the Danny's were done changing, Maddie gently nudged Daniel as well as Sam and Tucker over to Wulf hesitantly before asking the creature to turn them invisible while Samantha and Tuck stood off near the side of the stairs, uncertain as to what they should do. Wulf agreed and not a moment too soon.

The door upstairs opened abruptly and Jack and Madeline ran downstairs only to halt when they reached the bottom. Danny looked at his real parents with confusion but they were too busy moving boxes as though they were robots while Jazz was sweeping. Danny immediately understood. Another glance around and Danny realized that Danielle was dusting.

Madeline and Jack watched in confusion as, what they hoped were robots at least, were cleaning the basement. Due to the lack of shooting, Vlad ran downstairs and looked around in confusion. Danny, on the other hand couldn't help but smirk. _Talk about thinking fast_, he thought.

"What's wrong, uncle Vlad?" asked Danny in what he hoped was a convincing tone. In all honesty, he hated this.

"I-I..." Vlad was glaring at the alternates of his friends before turning back to his real friends.

"Maddie, Jack, you have to believe me when I say that this isn't want it looks like."

"Are they robots?" Jack asked as he watched himself move the boxes with care which was definitely not like him.

"What? No they're-"

"They're not clones, are they Vlad?" asked Maddie with a frown on her face.

"No! Nothing so inhumane!"

Danny's gaze immediately shot towards Danielle. She tensed immediately after the words were spoken, but continued on like nothing was happening. Danny, however, could see the green on the wall which let him know that she was angry.

"The ghosts are obviously doing this! Maddie, Jack, check the FGD!"

Danny wasn't sure why Vlad didn't just tell the truth or have them shoot his parents. Then again he didn't understand why his parents just didn't have everyone huddled near the stairs invisibly to wait for the door to open so they could run out. Then again, Vlad had been smart enough to keep the ghost shield in place which brought up another question. Why did Vlad have a ghost shield specifically for his basement? Danny bit his lip and closed his eyes to keep the glowing green from being seen, because he knew that's what they'd see if they looked at him.

Jack, who looked at Vlad skeptically, pulled out the Fenton Ghost Detector. The item seemed to light up the minute that it turned on and it seemed to be honing in on Danny. Danny had calmed down enough to open his eyes, or so he felt, and he looked at this world's version of his father. He felt a lump caught in his throat, but he pushed past it.

"It's probably because I was around those ghosts earlier," Danny said.

Maddie narrowed her eyes skeptically and looked Danny in his eyes. Her face soured as something in his eyes caught her off guard. There were traces of green that were barely noticeable, but she knew her son. She had raised him after all. Danny swallowed thickly when he realized that the jig was up.

"Let me explain," he said quickly before he took a step back.

"You're not my son," she stated fiercely as she pulled out a pair of Fenton Chuks; a pair of mechanized nunchakus that had a greenish outer glow surrounding it and a sticker on the side with the Fenton name on it. A flash of blue dashed by Danny so quickly that he was unaware of what had happened even after the scene in front of him had time to process. His mother Maddie had run in front of him, and was standing in a defensive stance instead of her normal offensive stance.

"He may not be your son, but he's mine and I won't let you harm him."

Madeline was at a lost for words, but she jumped back out of Maddie's reach. She narrowed her eyes as her mind quickly sorted through a list of what was possibly going on at the moment, but none of them involved alternate realities/dimensions/time lines but instead revolved around shape-shifting ghosts. Danny moved from behind his mother because, quite frankly, he wanted to keep his eye on VLAD at all times, and his mother was definitely obscuring his view.

"What's going on?" this world's Jack ask in a calm voice that just didn't match his comical facial expression.

"Vlad's an evil backstabbing, selfish, arrogant, thick headed, useless, egotistical PRICK!" snapped Danielle as she stormed over towards Vlad, her eyes red-orange instead of their normal ghostly green. Jack from this world made to block Vlad from her, but Jaz and Davy were already there.

"Don't even try it, ghost," they stated with frowns on their faces. Everyone had honestly forgotten about them, except for Vlad, Madeline and their Jack of course.

"Where's our brother!?" Jaz asked with a fire in her eyes. Madeline and Jack both became offensive when they realized that their son wasn't present.

"I'm right here," came the disembodied voice.

"Sweetie?" Madeline asked, unsure of how to take her son being invisible because certainly he wasn't dead or a ghost. He couldn't have been!

"I won't show myself until you promise that you'll listen to them. They're not from our world. Scan them, they aren't ghosts! Well, at least not completely..."

Samantha and Tuck remained silently standing near the stairs, each one looking towards the open door at the top.

"Sweetheart, listen to me-"

"No mom, you listen to me. Not all ghosts are bad nor are they all ghosts apparently. Please mom, listen to me. Check! Believe me, please! Jaz, Davy, tell them."

Jaz and Davy said nothing to defend their brother, but they did look slightly guilty. Vlad, on the other hand was getting impatient. Snatching a weapon from the alt version of Jack's belt, he took aim at Danny and fired. Danny wasn't really sure why he was surprised because this was Vlad, but nevertheless he was stunned. He was even more stunned when he felt someone push him out of the way. Danny landed on his butt while Daniel landed on his side. He groaned and writhed a little bit on the floor much to his mother and father's dismay. Jaz and Davy dropped their weapons and rushed to their brother's side only for Wulf to spring out in front of them. Jaz and Davy screamed at the new appearance, Wulf's glowing eyes, sharp fangs and threatening snarls keeping them away. Samantha, Tuck, and Danny rushed over to their fallen friend as did Sam and Tucker.

"Are you alright," Danny asked. Daniel writhed again but didn't respond. "Wulf, let them by," Danny said, but Wulf merely growled. This world's Jack was giving Vlad an earful and was pushing him roughly up the stairs while Vlad begged and pleaded. He hadn't meant to shoot his God son after all.

Madeline rushed up beside her son, completely ignoring the giant snarling beast beside her, and looked down at him, tears streaming down her cheeks while Maddie knelt down on the other side of him, scooting the children out of the way. The two Maddies flipped Daniel carefully over on his back. The shirt that he was wearing was burned revealing extremely burned skin. Now that he was on his back, the pain wasn't as bad as it was before, not that it made a difference because it was still excruciating.

"Oh sweetheart, tell me you're alright," stated Madeline as she reached in a side pocket and pulled out countless items that were useless in this situation. Daniel just groaned before he pointed towards Danny and the others. Madeline didn't bother looking at them, her only focus was her baby boy.

"Desiree, can you heal him?" asked Danny in a slight panic. Seeing himself like this was terrifying and he had to wonder if his friends saw this every time he walked away from one of his tougher battles.

Desiree reappeared and began to make her way towards Daniel and the two Maddies. Once she made it to them, she looked down at Daniel and cocked her head to the side. She nodded towards Danny, but made no move to aid them.

"Well," he asked, impatiently.

"How is this aiding Clockwork?"

"All. The. Help. We. Can. GET! Desiree, come on. Do I have to wish it or what? Imagine it's Christmas, okay? Better yet, think of the Disasteroid! It's just another world saving truce thing!"

Desiree rolled her eyes before she knelt down before Daniel. She extended her hands over the injury and a blue/green haze began to slowly flow into the wound making Daniel moan. Madeline was about to pull out a weapon when Maddie grabbed her hand. Madeline looked offended and ready to strike, but Maddie merely pointed to Daniel's chest. Madeline looked down almost reluctantly and noticed how her son's chest was slowly knitting itself back together. She bit her lower lip and continued to watch the ghost heal her son. Once Desiree was finished she flinched. Using her powers without someone wishing it like that caused a recoil, though not so painful since she merely used a small portion.

Danny didn't notice the flinch or if he did he didn't care. His only concern was his double. Daniel shuddered and rubbed his chest. Maddie let go of Madeline who immediately went to hug her son, but Daniel moved out of her grip. He could tell that he had hurt her and he felt bad about it, but his family's tunnel vision towards creatures that were different than them was currently fueling his anger.

"No! You don't get to hug me," he snapped. He rubbed his chest before looking towards the others in the room.

"Danny," stated Madeline to her son but he shook his head.

"They're our doubles from another dimension, and they're here because Uncle Vlad is like a tether to both our worlds. He created this world by changing his past...and then he tried to make them a part of this world because he doesn't want to go back. Then...then he shot me...Un-uncle V-Vlad..."

Daniel felt the tears sting his eyes but he refused to let them fall. He shook his head and looked towards Danny. He was incredibly sore, and he didn't want to get into full details. Madeline looked at the others, Sam and Tucker moving to stand beside their Danny while Samantha and Tuck had taken their places near the steps. Wulf and Desiree stood off to the side with blank expressions on their faces.

"Explain," was all Madeline could say.

_**TBC**_

* * *

**Author's End Notes:** This chapter may seen confusing to some, so if you have questions let me know. I will answer you unless the answers are in the next chapter. :D


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